Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Sri Krishna himself with complexion and mood of Radha or combined avatar of Radha and Krishna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught the world the mode of worshipping Radha Krishna with ecstatic servitual attitude while chanting and singing the Transcendental Name. He accepted Madhva Sampraday and expanded the Suddha-Dvaita philosophy by propagting the Vedantic theory of Achintya Bheda Abheda Tattva. He expounded Bhakti yoga and popularized the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra since singing (Kirtan) the Transcendental Name of Krishna and His pastimes is the only way getting rid of repeated birth-and-death cycle and reach His Abode of in Kali-yuga as per Padma Puran.
Appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His pastimes
According to Garuda Purana, The Supreme Lord Vishnu says:
aham purno bhavisyami yuga-sandhyau visesatah
mayapure navadvipe bhavisyami saci-sutah
“In the first part of Kali-yuga, I will appear in my complete Transcendental Form in Mayapura, Navadvipa as the son of Shachi Mata.” As per Garuda Puran, Sri Caitanya was born in Mayapura (a subsection of the holy town of Navadvipa, West Bengal) as the son of Srimati Shachi devi and Jagannath Misra, about 4,500 years after the beginning of the Kali-yuga.
Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took birth on 23rd Phalguna in the Shakabda Era 1407, that is [according to the Christian Era] 28th February, 1486. It was a full-moon day, and He appeared at twilight. There was a lunar eclipse that evening, and everywhere hundreds of thousands of people were singing the glories of Hari. In such a glorious atmosphere, which was surcharged with the chanting of the holy name, He appeared from the womb of Shri Shachi-devi. Because He took birth under a neem tree He was named Nimai, and because His complexion was golden in lustre, He became known as Gauranga (golden-limbed). The ladies exclaimed, “Hari Bol, Hari Bol!” and that abode resounded continuously with the vibration of the holy names.
Antardvipa’s central point, the Maha-yogapitha, is the appearance-place of the Lord, and is also known as Mayapura. This Antardvipa consists of Ballala-dighi (Prithu-kunda), a portion of Vamana-pukura, Shrinathapura, Ganga-nagara and other places. Shri Jagannatha Mishra’s house was within the present Vamana-pukura. Although Shriman Mahaprabhu eternally performs pastimes here, only fortunate souls can witness them.
When the foundation to the present grand Yogapitha Temple in Mayapura was being dug, a small four-armed deity was found. This deity had been worshipped by Shri Jagannatha Mishra, whose temple was located in that spot. And just nearby, under a large neem tree, Nimai took birth from Shri Shachi-devi’s womb. Shachi-devi’s father, Shri Nilambara Cakravarti, was a renowned scholar of astrology and logic. Shachi-devi was highly chaste, devout and the embodiment of mercy. Her eight daughters died at birth, one after the other. She then gave birth to an extraordinary son named Shri Vishvarupa. He was learned in the scriptures, peaceful in nature and benevolent. He was omniscient and his intellect was unparalleled. Although he was incomparably beautiful, he was completely detached from sense enjoyment. Nimai took birth after Vishvarupa.
Reasons for His appearance
He chose to appear in this world for several reasons among which four are prominent:
-
- To propagate the yuga-dharma, or the religious practice for the age. This is the congregational chanting of the holy names (shri-nama-sankirtana).
- To distribute what had never been given before – unnatojjvala-prema, transcendental love in the elevated amorous mellow.
- To respond to the entreaty of Shri Advaita Acharya, who was perturbed by the extremely irreligious state of the world at that time. Shri Advaita Acharya had wor-shipped Shri Krishna with Ganga water and tulasi leaves, and thus induced the Lord to appear.
- To fulfil His three confidential desires. Krishna, who is supremely merciful and the enjoyer of all transcenden-tal mellows, accepted the mood and lustre of Shri Radha and appeared as Shri Gauranga:
(a) to taste the greatness of Shrimati Radhika’s prema,
(b) to personally taste, as Shrimati Radhika does, all the sweetness of His form, and
(c) to taste Shrimati Radhika’s happiness when She relishes His sweetness.
Sri Nimai’s early Life
Nimai’s childhood nature was extremely restless, just like Shri Krishna’s. Once, in the house of Jagannatha Mishra, He caught a snake and proceeded to play with it. Another time He climbed upon the shoulders of a thief and rode on them throughout the town. On an Ekadashi day He begged for the food that was being offered to the deity in the house of a devotee. He cried often, and only stopped when someone chanted the holy names, at which He broke out into loud peals of laughter. Sometimes, on His way home from school He would play games in the Ganga with the other children. When His elder brother Vishvarupa accepted the renounced order, however, Nimai’s behaviour became more subdued and He studied at Shri Gangadasa’s school, which He attended with Gadadhara, Damodara, Jagadananda, Mukunda and other boys. Later He established a Sanskrit school in His own home where He taught grammar.
At one of the Ganga’s ghatas in Antardvipa, He crushed the pride of a champion of erudition named Keshava Kashmiri and instructed him in bhajana. In Antardvipa He was married twice; first to Shri Lakshmipriya-devi, and after she left this world, to Shri Vishnupriya-devi. It was from here that He travelled to Gaya, where Shri Ishvara Puri initiated Him into the chanting of Shri Krishna’s names. When He returned He had become transformed into an exalted devotee who constantly tasted transcendental sentiments. Finally, in a mood of detachment, He left His aged mother and His wife Vishnupriya and crossed the Ganga to accept the renounced order in Katava.
Renouced Order or Sanyas
In Sri Caitanya Caritamrita His sanyas Leela was described elaborately. He came to this world for a reason and that cannot be accomplished without taking sanyas. The reasons are described above. Later, in Shantipura, His mother requested Him to take up His residence in Puri-dhama instead of Vrindavana, and He agreed to do this. He later left Puri to travel throughout South India where He discussed bhakti-tattva with Shri Ramananda Raya on the bank of the river Godavari. In all, He remained based in Puri-dhama for twenty-four years, the first six of which were spent travelling to Vrindavana, South India and other places. During the remaining eighteen years He experienced an unceasing restlessness caused by feelings of separation from Krishna. Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda were able to pacify Shriman Mahaprabhu’s specific moods by reciting appropriate verses from Shrimad-Bhagavatam, or by singing songs by Chandidasa, Vidyapati, or from Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-Govinda. He had conducted His married life as an ideal house-holder, and when He renounced it, He lived a life of complete detachment. In this way He set the example how to engage in the ideal, renounced life of bhajana.
Life of Sachimata and other devotees in Navadwip
When Shriman Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, the lives of Mother Shachi and Vishnupriya-devi became filled with intolerable separation from Him. At that time, they were cared for by Ishana Thakura and Shri Vamshi-vadanananda. In separation from Mahaprabhu, Vishnupriya-devi forgot to eat, drink or tend to other bodily needs. Indeed, she forgot everything, and became extremely weak and frail. She simply chanted the maha-mantra from morning to noon, and for each mantra she chanted, she put aside one grain of rice. At noon she prepared that rice and offered it to Shri Radha-Krishna and her deity of Mahaprabhu. She then offered the prasada to Shachi-devi, who would accept some and leave the rest, which amounted to a mere handful, for Vishnupriya-devi. With a restless heart she remembered Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu day and night, and as she chanted the holy name, she wept. Faithful devotees received darshana of her lotus feet only after repeated requests.
Unable to tolerate separation from Shriman Mahaprabhu, Vaishnavas like Shri Nityananda Prabhu, Shri Advaita Acharya and Shrivasa Pandita gradually moved away from Navadvipa to reside elsewhere. Later, when the Ganga flooded a large part of Navadvipa, the inhabitants of Navadvipa moved to the western bank, called Kuliya-Pahadapura.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtan Movement
Sri Caitanya pioneered a great social and spiritual movement in India over five hundred years ago, which today continues to spread its profound influence worldwide. While man in the West was exploring outward in the physical universe, in India Sri Krishna Caitanya was exploring inward, exhibiting unparalleled spiritual potency, and discovering the truths of consciousness and transcendental reality. As a young boy he overwhelmed astounded scholars, establishing his own school at the age of sixteen. Within his lifetime, Sri Caitanya transformed India in four respects: philosophically, by defeating the greatest philosophers of his day; socially, by opposing the blindly rigid caste system; politically, by organizing India’s first civil disobedience movement against repression by the Mohammedan government; and spiritually, by freely distributing nonsectarian love of God. Sri Caitanya is the Golden Avatar, the incarnation of Krishna in this age. He has come to freely distribute the most elevated mood of loving devotion by chanting the Holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: Sri Krsna.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science of Krsna, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are, in fact, the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent, due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha–davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.
namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.
ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavisyati
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.
aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah
I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Sri Krishna himself with complexion and mood of Radha or combined avatar of Radha and Krishna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught the world the mode of worshipping Radha Krishna with ecstatic servitual attitude while chanting and singing the Transcendental Name. He accepted Madhva Sampraday and expanded the Suddha-Dvaita philosophy by propagting the Vedantic theory of Achintya Bheda Abheda Tattva. He expounded Bhakti yoga and popularized the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra since singing (Kirtan) the Transcendental Name of Krishna and His pastimes is the only way getting rid of repeated birth-and-death cycle and reach His Abode of in Kali-yuga as per Padma Puran.
Appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His pastimes
According to Garuda Purana, The Supreme Lord Vishnu says:
aham purno bhavisyami yuga-sandhyau visesatah
mayapure navadvipe bhavisyami saci-sutah
“In the first part of Kali-yuga, I will appear in my complete Transcendental Form in Mayapura, Navadvipa as the son of Shachi Mata.” As per Garuda Puran, Sri Caitanya was born in Mayapura (a subsection of the holy town of Navadvipa, West Bengal) as the son of Srimati Shachi devi and Jagannath Misra, about 4,500 years after the beginning of the Kali-yuga.
Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took birth on 23rd Phalguna in the Shakabda Era 1407, that is [according to the Christian Era] 28th February, 1486. It was a full-moon day, and He appeared at twilight. There was a lunar eclipse that evening, and everywhere hundreds of thousands of people were singing the glories of Hari. In such a glorious atmosphere, which was surcharged with the chanting of the holy name, He appeared from the womb of Shri Shachi-devi. Because He took birth under a neem tree He was named Nimai, and because His complexion was golden in lustre, He became known as Gauranga (golden-limbed). The ladies exclaimed, “Hari Bol, Hari Bol!” and that abode resounded continuously with the vibration of the holy names.
Antardvipa’s central point, the Maha-yogapitha, is the appearance-place of the Lord, and is also known as Mayapura. This Antardvipa consists of Ballala-dighi (Prithu-kunda), a portion of Vamana-pukura, Shrinathapura, Ganga-nagara and other places. Shri Jagannatha Mishra’s house was within the present Vamana-pukura. Although Shriman Mahaprabhu eternally performs pastimes here, only fortunate souls can witness them.
When the foundation to the present grand Yogapitha Temple in Mayapura was being dug, a small four-armed deity was found. This deity had been worshipped by Shri Jagannatha Mishra, whose temple was located in that spot. And just nearby, under a large neem tree, Nimai took birth from Shri Shachi-devi’s womb. Shachi-devi’s father, Shri Nilambara Cakravarti, was a renowned scholar of astrology and logic. Shachi-devi was highly chaste, devout and the embodiment of mercy. Her eight daughters died at birth, one after the other. She then gave birth to an extraordinary son named Shri Vishvarupa. He was learned in the scriptures, peaceful in nature and benevolent. He was omniscient and his intellect was unparalleled. Although he was incomparably beautiful, he was completely detached from sense enjoyment. Nimai took birth after Vishvarupa.
Reasons for His appearance
He chose to appear in this world for several reasons among which four are prominent:
-
- To propagate the yuga-dharma, or the religious practice for the age. This is the congregational chanting of the holy names (shri-nama-sankirtana).
- To distribute what had never been given before – unnatojjvala-prema, transcendental love in the elevated amorous mellow.
- To respond to the entreaty of Shri Advaita Acharya, who was perturbed by the extremely irreligious state of the world at that time. Shri Advaita Acharya had wor-shipped Shri Krishna with Ganga water and tulasi leaves, and thus induced the Lord to appear.
- To fulfil His three confidential desires. Krishna, who is supremely merciful and the enjoyer of all transcenden-tal mellows, accepted the mood and lustre of Shri Radha and appeared as Shri Gauranga:
(a) to taste the greatness of Shrimati Radhika’s prema,
(b) to personally taste, as Shrimati Radhika does, all the sweetness of His form, and
(c) to taste Shrimati Radhika’s happiness when She relishes His sweetness.
Sri Nimai’s early Life
Nimai’s childhood nature was extremely restless, just like Shri Krishna’s. Once, in the house of Jagannatha Mishra, He caught a snake and proceeded to play with it. Another time He climbed upon the shoulders of a thief and rode on them throughout the town. On an Ekadashi day He begged for the food that was being offered to the deity in the house of a devotee. He cried often, and only stopped when someone chanted the holy names, at which He broke out into loud peals of laughter. Sometimes, on His way home from school He would play games in the Ganga with the other children. When His elder brother Vishvarupa accepted the renounced order, however, Nimai’s behaviour became more subdued and He studied at Shri Gangadasa’s school, which He attended with Gadadhara, Damodara, Jagadananda, Mukunda and other boys. Later He established a Sanskrit school in His own home where He taught grammar.
At one of the Ganga’s ghatas in Antardvipa, He crushed the pride of a champion of erudition named Keshava Kashmiri and instructed him in bhajana. In Antardvipa He was married twice; first to Shri Lakshmipriya-devi, and after she left this world, to Shri Vishnupriya-devi. It was from here that He travelled to Gaya, where Shri Ishvara Puri initiated Him into the chanting of Shri Krishna’s names. When He returned He had become transformed into an exalted devotee who constantly tasted transcendental sentiments. Finally, in a mood of detachment, He left His aged mother and His wife Vishnupriya and crossed the Ganga to accept the renounced order in Katava.
Renouced Order or Sanyas
In Sri Caitanya Caritamrita His sanyas Leela was described elaborately. He came to this world for a reason and that cannot be accomplished without taking sanyas. The reasons are described above. Later, in Shantipura, His mother requested Him to take up His residence in Puri-dhama instead of Vrindavana, and He agreed to do this. He later left Puri to travel throughout South India where He discussed bhakti-tattva with Shri Ramananda Raya on the bank of the river Godavari. In all, He remained based in Puri-dhama for twenty-four years, the first six of which were spent travelling to Vrindavana, South India and other places. During the remaining eighteen years He experienced an unceasing restlessness caused by feelings of separation from Krishna. Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda were able to pacify Shriman Mahaprabhu’s specific moods by reciting appropriate verses from Shrimad-Bhagavatam, or by singing songs by Chandidasa, Vidyapati, or from Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-Govinda. He had conducted His married life as an ideal house-holder, and when He renounced it, He lived a life of complete detachment. In this way He set the example how to engage in the ideal, renounced life of bhajana.
Life of Sachimata and other devotees in Navadwip
When Shriman Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, the lives of Mother Shachi and Vishnupriya-devi became filled with intolerable separation from Him. At that time, they were cared for by Ishana Thakura and Shri Vamshi-vadanananda. In separation from Mahaprabhu, Vishnupriya-devi forgot to eat, drink or tend to other bodily needs. Indeed, she forgot everything, and became extremely weak and frail. She simply chanted the maha-mantra from morning to noon, and for each mantra she chanted, she put aside one grain of rice. At noon she prepared that rice and offered it to Shri Radha-Krishna and her deity of Mahaprabhu. She then offered the prasada to Shachi-devi, who would accept some and leave the rest, which amounted to a mere handful, for Vishnupriya-devi. With a restless heart she remembered Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu day and night, and as she chanted the holy name, she wept. Faithful devotees received darshana of her lotus feet only after repeated requests.
Unable to tolerate separation from Shriman Mahaprabhu, Vaishnavas like Shri Nityananda Prabhu, Shri Advaita Acharya and Shrivasa Pandita gradually moved away from Navadvipa to reside elsewhere. Later, when the Ganga flooded a large part of Navadvipa, the inhabitants of Navadvipa moved to the western bank, called Kuliya-Pahadapura.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtan Movement
Sri Caitanya pioneered a great social and spiritual movement in India over five hundred years ago, which today continues to spread its profound influence worldwide. While man in the West was exploring outward in the physical universe, in India Sri Krishna Caitanya was exploring inward, exhibiting unparalleled spiritual potency, and discovering the truths of consciousness and transcendental reality. As a young boy he overwhelmed astounded scholars, establishing his own school at the age of sixteen. Within his lifetime, Sri Caitanya transformed India in four respects: philosophically, by defeating the greatest philosophers of his day; socially, by opposing the blindly rigid caste system; politically, by organizing India’s first civil disobedience movement against repression by the Mohammedan government; and spiritually, by freely distributing nonsectarian love of God. Sri Caitanya is the Golden Avatar, the incarnation of Krishna in this age. He has come to freely distribute the most elevated mood of loving devotion by chanting the Holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: Sri Krsna.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science of Krsna, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are, in fact, the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent, due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha–davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.
namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.
ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavisyati
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.
aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah
I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
The Sada (or Six) Goswamis of Vrindavan were very close associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who lived in India during the 15th and 16th centuries. They rediscovered the land of Vrindavan where they dedicated a significant amount of their time uncovering many ancient and sacred areas of Vrindavan associated with Radha, Krishna and their pastimes during Dvapar Yuga in accordance to the events recorded in the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. They spent much time producing a prolific amount of writings regarding Vaishnava philosophy and practices. Although having little in the way of financial possessions themselves, the Goswamis inspired the building of a number of large and ornate temples on or around these sites dedicated to Sri Radha Krishna which play a role in Vrindavan society to this day.
Sada or six Goswami and their respective names in Krishna leela in Dwapar Yuga.
- Rupa Goswami – Rupa Manjari
- Sanatana Goswami – Rati Manjari or Lavanga Manjari
- Jiva Goswami – Vilas Manjari
- Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami – Raga Manjari
- Gopala Bhatta Goswami – Ananga Manjari
- Raghunatha dasa Goswami – Rati Manjari or Bhanumati
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had set four objectives for them:
- Establishing Pure bhakti by publishing books and preaching them.
- Reestablishing disappeared “tirtha” or holy places particularly in Vraja Mandal.
- Establishing divine services (Krishna Seva or Sri Vigraha Seva) as prescribed in scriptures.
- Preaching the transcendental name or Harinam Mahamantra.
Sri Rupa, Sanatan and Jiva Goswami
Exact birth dates of any of the six Goswamis are not available. In Bhakti-Ratnakar, Sri Jiva Goswami’s last seven generations are mentioned. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad has written in his comment or “Anu Bhasya” in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita that they belong to a great soul named Jagadguru ‘Sarvagya’ of “Bhardwaj Gotra” was born in 12th Shakabda in Karnataka in a Royal Brahmin family. He had two sons – Rupeshwar and Harihar. Son of Rupeshwar, Padmanabh lived in Naihati in Bengal. He had 5 sons. Among the 5 sons, the youngest grandson was Mukund. Sri Kuber Dev is son of Mukund. Sri Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami and Anupam or Sri Vallabh were sons Sri Kuber Dev and Sri Jiva Goswami was son of Anupam. Although once upon a time, they were Royal Karnatic Brahmin, however, Sri Rupa Goswami’s last 5 generations had been living in Bengal. Sri Kuver Dev lived in Vakla Chandradwip and had a house in Fatehbad under Yashohar district in East Bengal (now Bangladesh).
Sri Rupa, Sanatan and Sri Anupam lived together in Ramkeli village in Gaud-Desh (near Malda in West Bengal). Sri Jiva Goswami, son of Sri Anupam, was born there. They used to work for Nawab Hussain Shah and they got the title “Mallik” for their work performance from Nawab. Sri Rupa Goswami’s name was Dabir Khas and Sri Sanatan Goswami’s name was Sakar Mallik. They were Vazir in Nawab Hussain Shah’s assembly. There is a Keli Kadamb and Tamal tree in Ramkeli where they first time met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. On Sriman Mahaprabhu’s direction, they decided to leave everything and go to Vrindavan. First, Sri Rupa Goswami left and on the way to Vrindavan met Mahaprabhu in Prayag. In the meantime, Nawab Hussain Shah caught Sanatan Goswami for not attending his assembly and lodged him in jail. Somehow, he ran away from jail and started his journey for Vrindavan. He also met Mahaprabhu, but in Varanasi. Their discussion with Mahaprabhu is well known as Sri Rupa Shiksha and Sri Sanatan Shiksha, respectively. At a later point, they went to Puri to spend some time with Mahaprabhu as well and came back to Vrindavan as per Mahaprabhu’s wish. Their rest of life was spent in Vrindavan fulfilling the objectives set by Mahaprabhu.
Sri Jiva Goswami lived in this world from 1433 to 1518 Shakabda and born on Shukla Dwadashi of month of Bhadra. When Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami left for Vrindavan, he was just a boy. He did not have any interest in material world. He used to have dreams of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu dancing with his associates. He went to Navadwip and met Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who told him to go to Vrindavan immediately. With the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he completed Sri Navadwip Dham parikrama and went to Vrindavan via Kashi. After Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami left for Vrindavan, he was considered to be the senior most Acharya at that time. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami wrote Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita under his guidance. He taught Gaudiya philosophy to Sri Narottam, Srinivas and Shyamananda Prabhu and who, in turn, did a massive preaching in Bengal, Orissa and Assam. He used to worship the deity of Radha Damodar and the temple is very famous in Vrindavan even now. He left this world on Shukla Tritiya of month of Pausa.
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami
Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami’s birth date is estimated to on 1425 Shakabda. He was born in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). His father name was Sri Tapan Misra. On Sriman Mahaprabhu’s direction Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, along with his father Sri Tapan Misra left Bangladesh and started staying in Kashi. After his parents left this world, he went to Puri and stayed for 8 months. Mahaprabhu asked him to go to Vrindavan stay with Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami. His recitation of Srimad Bhagavat was unparalleled; even Vyasadeva enjoyed it. He fulfilled Lord Chaitanya’s order to preach the glories and peerless significance of Shrimad Bhagavatam. Under his direction, a disciple built a gorgeous Temple in Vrindavana for Sri Govinda Devji. Even after four-hundred and fifty years, this intricately hand-carved red stone Temple remains the most beautiful Temple in Vrindavana and all of Northern India. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami faithfully served Govinda Devji for forty years. They deity had been taken to Jaipur due to fear from Muslim invaders.
Raghunatha dasa Goswami
Sri Raghunath Das Goswami was born on 1416 Shakabda in Srikrishnapur village on the bank of river Saraswati, Hooghly near Adi Saptagram railway station. His father’s name was Sri Govardhan Mazumdar. Sri Govardhan Mazumdar and his brother Sri Hiranya Mazumdar were rich zamindars (landlord). He wanted to join Sri Chatanya Mahaprabhu and tried to run away from home many times. However, he got caught every time. His parents tried their best to keep him at home with guards around him and also got him married to a beautiful girl. When he heard Sriman Nityananda Prabhu came to Panihati, he went there to meet him. Sri Nityananda Prabhu gave him an extra ordinary punishment and asked to arrange for a huge festival feeding everyone there with curd and puffed rice famously known “Panihati Dahi-Chira Mahotsav”. After the festival, he found an opportunity and ran away to Puri. He travelled for 12 days to reach Puri. He stayed in Puri for 16 years. After Mahaprabhu and Swarup Damodar left this world he left for Vrindavan and met Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatan Goswami. He left this world on Ashwin Shukla Dwadashi in Radhakund, Mathura.
Gopal Bhatta Goswami
Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s birth date is estimated to on 1425 Shakabda. He was born in Velgundigram village near Srirangam, Tamil Nadu on the bank of river Kaveri. His father’s name was Sri Venkata Bhatta and his paternal uncle and Diksha guru was Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati. When Mahaprabhu went to Srirangam in South India, he stayed in Sri Venkat Bhatta’s house. Sri Gopal Bhatta was just a child at that time. When his parents left this world, he left everything at Srirangam and went to Vrindavan and met Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami. When Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami informed Mahaprabhu about Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s arrival, Mahaprabhu replied to love him like a younger brother. Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami once went on pilgrimage to north India. He got 12 Shalagram Shilas from Gandaki river. He used to worship those Shalagram Shilas as Sri Vrajendra Nandan Sri Krishna daily. Once he thought that if Shalagram Shilas turn into Srivigrah then he could have decorated them with nice dress and ornaments. Next day morning, one of the Shalagram Shila turned into a beautiful Radha Raman. He started the devotional service of Sri Radha Raman which is still going in Vrindavan. He left this world on Ashari Panchami 1507 in Vrindavan. His Samadhi is behind Radha Raman temple.
Books and Publications
Books written by Sri Rupa Goswami are Sri Hansadoot Kavya, Srimad Uddhav Sandesh, Sri Krishna Janma Tithi and Vidhi, Vrihad Ganoddesh Deepika, Laghu Ganoddesh Deepika, Stava Mala, Vidagdha Madhava & Lalita Madhava Natak, Daan Kaumudi, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Ujjwalnilmani, Prayukt Akhyat Chandrika, Mathura Mahima, Padyavali, Natak Chandrika, Laghu Bhagvatamritam, Updeshamritam, Siddhanta Ratna, Kavya Kaustubh.
Books written by Sri Sanatana Goswami are Sri Hari Bhakti Vilas, Srimad Bhagvatam Dasham Skanda Tika and Vrihad Vaishnav Toshani, Leela Stava or Dasham Charita, Vrihad Bhagvatamritam.
Books written by Sri Jiva Goswami are Harinam Vyakaran, Dhatu Sangraha, Gopal Virudavali, Sri Madhava Mahotsav, Bhavartha Suchak Champu, commentary on Brahma-Samhita, Ujjwala Tika, Agni Puranastha Sri Gayatri Bhasya, Gopal Champu, Sada Sandarbha, Sutra Malika, Krishna Archan Deepika, Rasamrita Shesh, Sri Sankalpa Kalpavriksha, Gopal Tapni Tika, Rasamrita Tika, commentaries of Yoga Sar Stava, Sri Radhika Kar Padasthita Chinha and Krama Sandarbha.
The Sada (or Six) Goswamis of Vrindavan were very close associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who lived in India during the 15th and 16th centuries. They rediscovered the land of Vrindavan where they dedicated a significant amount of their time uncovering many ancient and sacred areas of Vrindavan associated with Radha, Krishna and their pastimes during Dvapar Yuga in accordance to the events recorded in the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. They spent much time producing a prolific amount of writings regarding Vaishnava philosophy and practices. Although having little in the way of financial possessions themselves, the Goswamis inspired the building of a number of large and ornate temples on or around these sites dedicated to Sri Radha Krishna which play a role in Vrindavan society to this day.
Sada or six Goswami and their respective names in Krishna leela in Dwapar Yuga.
- Rupa Goswami – Rupa Manjari
- Sanatana Goswami – Rati Manjari or Lavanga Manjari
- Jiva Goswami – Vilas Manjari
- Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami – Raga Manjari
- Gopala Bhatta Goswami – Ananga Manjari
- Raghunatha dasa Goswami – Rati Manjari or Bhanumati
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had set four objectives for them:
- Establishing Pure bhakti by publishing books and preaching them.
- Reestablishing disappeared “tirtha” or holy places particularly in Vraja Mandal.
- Establishing divine services (Krishna Seva or Sri Vigraha Seva) as prescribed in scriptures.
- Preaching the transcendental name or Harinam Mahamantra.
Sri Rupa, Sanatan and Jiva Goswami
Exact birth dates of any of the six Goswamis are not available. In Bhakti-Ratnakar, Sri Jiva Goswami’s last seven generations are mentioned. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad has written in his comment or “Anu Bhasya” in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita that they belong to a great soul named Jagadguru ‘Sarvagya’ of “Bhardwaj Gotra” was born in 12th Shakabda in Karnataka in a Royal Brahmin family. He had two sons – Rupeshwar and Harihar. Son of Rupeshwar, Padmanabh lived in Naihati in Bengal. He had 5 sons. Among the 5 sons, the youngest grandson was Mukund. Sri Kuber Dev is son of Mukund. Sri Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami and Anupam or Sri Vallabh were sons Sri Kuber Dev and Sri Jiva Goswami was son of Anupam. Although once upon a time, they were Royal Karnatic Brahmin, however, Sri Rupa Goswami’s last 5 generations had been living in Bengal. Sri Kuver Dev lived in Vakla Chandradwip and had a house in Fatehbad under Yashohar district in East Bengal (now Bangladesh).
Sri Rupa, Sanatan and Sri Anupam lived together in Ramkeli village in Gaud-Desh (near Malda in West Bengal). Sri Jiva Goswami, son of Sri Anupam, was born there. They used to work for Nawab Hussain Shah and they got the title “Mallik” for their work performance from Nawab. Sri Rupa Goswami’s name was Dabir Khas and Sri Sanatan Goswami’s name was Sakar Mallik. They were Vazir in Nawab Hussain Shah’s assembly. There is a Keli Kadamb and Tamal tree in Ramkeli where they first time met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. On Sriman Mahaprabhu’s direction, they decided to leave everything and go to Vrindavan. First, Sri Rupa Goswami left and on the way to Vrindavan met Mahaprabhu in Prayag. In the meantime, Nawab Hussain Shah caught Sanatan Goswami for not attending his assembly and lodged him in jail. Somehow, he ran away from jail and started his journey for Vrindavan. He also met Mahaprabhu, but in Varanasi. Their discussion with Mahaprabhu is well known as Sri Rupa Shiksha and Sri Sanatan Shiksha, respectively. At a later point, they went to Puri to spend some time with Mahaprabhu as well and came back to Vrindavan as per Mahaprabhu’s wish. Their rest of life was spent in Vrindavan fulfilling the objectives set by Mahaprabhu.
Sri Jiva Goswami lived in this world from 1433 to 1518 Shakabda and born on Shukla Dwadashi of month of Bhadra. When Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami left for Vrindavan, he was just a boy. He did not have any interest in material world. He used to have dreams of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu dancing with his associates. He went to Navadwip and met Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who told him to go to Vrindavan immediately. With the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he completed Sri Navadwip Dham parikrama and went to Vrindavan via Kashi. After Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami left for Vrindavan, he was considered to be the senior most Acharya at that time. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami wrote Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita under his guidance. He taught Gaudiya philosophy to Sri Narottam, Srinivas and Shyamananda Prabhu and who, in turn, did a massive preaching in Bengal, Orissa and Assam. He used to worship the deity of Radha Damodar and the temple is very famous in Vrindavan even now. He left this world on Shukla Tritiya of month of Pausa.
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami
Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami’s birth date is estimated to on 1425 Shakabda. He was born in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). His father name was Sri Tapan Misra. On Sriman Mahaprabhu’s direction Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, along with his father Sri Tapan Misra left Bangladesh and started staying in Kashi. After his parents left this world, he went to Puri and stayed for 8 months. Mahaprabhu asked him to go to Vrindavan stay with Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami. His recitation of Srimad Bhagavat was unparalleled; even Vyasadeva enjoyed it. He fulfilled Lord Chaitanya’s order to preach the glories and peerless significance of Shrimad Bhagavatam. Under his direction, a disciple built a gorgeous Temple in Vrindavana for Sri Govinda Devji. Even after four-hundred and fifty years, this intricately hand-carved red stone Temple remains the most beautiful Temple in Vrindavana and all of Northern India. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami faithfully served Govinda Devji for forty years. They deity had been taken to Jaipur due to fear from Muslim invaders.
Raghunatha dasa Goswami
Sri Raghunath Das Goswami was born on 1416 Shakabda in Srikrishnapur village on the bank of river Saraswati, Hooghly near Adi Saptagram railway station. His father’s name was Sri Govardhan Mazumdar. Sri Govardhan Mazumdar and his brother Sri Hiranya Mazumdar were rich zamindars (landlord). He wanted to join Sri Chatanya Mahaprabhu and tried to run away from home many times. However, he got caught every time. His parents tried their best to keep him at home with guards around him and also got him married to a beautiful girl. When he heard Sriman Nityananda Prabhu came to Panihati, he went there to meet him. Sri Nityananda Prabhu gave him an extra ordinary punishment and asked to arrange for a huge festival feeding everyone there with curd and puffed rice famously known “Panihati Dahi-Chira Mahotsav”. After the festival, he found an opportunity and ran away to Puri. He travelled for 12 days to reach Puri. He stayed in Puri for 16 years. After Mahaprabhu and Swarup Damodar left this world he left for Vrindavan and met Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatan Goswami. He left this world on Ashwin Shukla Dwadashi in Radhakund, Mathura.
Gopal Bhatta Goswami
Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s birth date is estimated to on 1425 Shakabda. He was born in Velgundigram village near Srirangam, Tamil Nadu on the bank of river Kaveri. His father’s name was Sri Venkata Bhatta and his paternal uncle and Diksha guru was Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati. When Mahaprabhu went to Srirangam in South India, he stayed in Sri Venkat Bhatta’s house. Sri Gopal Bhatta was just a child at that time. When his parents left this world, he left everything at Srirangam and went to Vrindavan and met Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami. When Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami informed Mahaprabhu about Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s arrival, Mahaprabhu replied to love him like a younger brother. Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami once went on pilgrimage to north India. He got 12 Shalagram Shilas from Gandaki river. He used to worship those Shalagram Shilas as Sri Vrajendra Nandan Sri Krishna daily. Once he thought that if Shalagram Shilas turn into Srivigrah then he could have decorated them with nice dress and ornaments. Next day morning, one of the Shalagram Shila turned into a beautiful Radha Raman. He started the devotional service of Sri Radha Raman which is still going in Vrindavan. He left this world on Ashari Panchami 1507 in Vrindavan. His Samadhi is behind Radha Raman temple.
Books and Publications
Books written by Sri Rupa Goswami are Sri Hansadoot Kavya, Srimad Uddhav Sandesh, Sri Krishna Janma Tithi and Vidhi, Vrihad Ganoddesh Deepika, Laghu Ganoddesh Deepika, Stava Mala, Vidagdha Madhava & Lalita Madhava Natak, Daan Kaumudi, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Ujjwalnilmani, Prayukt Akhyat Chandrika, Mathura Mahima, Padyavali, Natak Chandrika, Laghu Bhagvatamritam, Updeshamritam, Siddhanta Ratna, Kavya Kaustubh.
Books written by Sri Sanatana Goswami are Sri Hari Bhakti Vilas, Srimad Bhagvatam Dasham Skanda Tika and Vrihad Vaishnav Toshani, Leela Stava or Dasham Charita, Vrihad Bhagvatamritam.
Books written by Sri Jiva Goswami are Harinam Vyakaran, Dhatu Sangraha, Gopal Virudavali, Sri Madhava Mahotsav, Bhavartha Suchak Champu, commentary on Brahma-Samhita, Ujjwala Tika, Agni Puranastha Sri Gayatri Bhasya, Gopal Champu, Sada Sandarbha, Sutra Malika, Krishna Archan Deepika, Rasamrita Shesh, Sri Sankalpa Kalpavriksha, Gopal Tapni Tika, Rasamrita Tika, commentaries of Yoga Sar Stava, Sri Radhika Kar Padasthita Chinha and Krama Sandarbha.
Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaj was an influential leader (guru) in the Gaudiya Vaishnava, respected as a ‘Siddha Baba’ by followers of his lineage. He accepted initiation from Jagadananda Goswami of Vrindavan, and later accepted babaji initiation (Vaishnava sannyasa) from Madhusudana dasa Babaji. For the rest of his life, his example as a Gaudiya Vaishnava devotee was an inspiration to many in the community. Bhaktivinoda Thakur is quoted calling him “the commanding chief of the devotees”.
Birth and Life
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was born in a small village in the modern-day Tangail district of East Bengal (now Bangladesh). His birth year cannot be pinpointed, with accounts from several different Gaudiya Vaishnava groups giving years from 1750 to 1800.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji met Bhaktivinoda Thakur in 1880, and the latter subsequently accepted the former as his instructing shiksha guru. It is said among some Gaudiya Vaishnavas that a young Bhaktisiddhanta, skilled in astronomy, created an ample Vaishnava calendar at Jagannatha Dasa Babaji’s request, detailing all holidays, including the appearance and disappearance days of prominent devotees.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji spent his last days in the areas of Vrindavan and Nabadwip, where he performed bhajan. A devotee named Bihari Lal used to assist him. His devotion to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and instructions on Vaishnava theology to Bhaktivinoda Thakur and Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji render him an integral part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava guru-parampara.
Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaj was an influential leader (guru) in the Gaudiya Vaishnava, respected as a ‘Siddha Baba’ by followers of his lineage. He accepted initiation from Jagadananda Goswami of Vrindavan, and later accepted babaji initiation (Vaishnava sannyasa) from Madhusudana dasa Babaji. For the rest of his life, his example as a Gaudiya Vaishnava devotee was an inspiration to many in the community. Bhaktivinoda Thakur is quoted calling him “the commanding chief of the devotees”.
Birth and Life
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was born in a small village in the modern-day Tangail district of East Bengal (now Bangladesh). His birth year cannot be pinpointed, with accounts from several different Gaudiya Vaishnava groups giving years from 1750 to 1800.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji met Bhaktivinoda Thakur in 1880, and the latter subsequently accepted the former as his instructing shiksha guru. It is said among some Gaudiya Vaishnavas that a young Bhaktisiddhanta, skilled in astronomy, created an ample Vaishnava calendar at Jagannatha Dasa Babaji’s request, detailing all holidays, including the appearance and disappearance days of prominent devotees.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji spent his last days in the areas of Vrindavan and Nabadwip, where he performed bhajan. A devotee named Bihari Lal used to assist him. His devotion to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and instructions on Vaishnava theology to Bhaktivinoda Thakur and Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji render him an integral part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava guru-parampara.
Bhakti Vinod Thakur was as a prominent philosopher, guru and spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who affected its resurgence in India in late 19th and early 20th century and was hailed by contemporary scholars as the most influential Gaudiya Vaishnava leader of since 19th century. He is also credited, along with his son Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, with pioneering the propagation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the West and its eventual global spread.
Birth and Summary of his life
Bhakti Vinod Thakur was born on 2nd September, 1838, in an educated and cultured family in the village of Viranagara, which is near the place of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance, Mayapura in West Bengal. His childhood name was Sri Kedaranatha Datta. He was a scholarly and ingenious student. After a village schooling, he continued his education at Hindu College in Calcutta, where he acquainted himself with contemporary Western philosophy and theology. There he became a close associate of prominent literary and intellectual figures of the Bengal Renaissance, such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Sisir Kumar Ghosh. At 18, he started teaching in rural areas of Bengal and Orissa until he became an employee with the British Raj in the Judicial Service, from which he retired in 1894 as District Magistrate.
Bipin Bihari Goswami, part of the goswami community of Baghnapara who claim descent from Chaitanya’s associate, Vamsivadananda Thakur, was Bhaktivinoda’s diksha, or initiating, guru.
During that time he served the innermost desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by translating the Upanishads, the Brahma-sutra, Shrimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and the commentaries of the Gosvamis, by composing his own devotional books, and by publishing weekly and monthly spiritual journals. In addition, he established “Nama-Hatta” programs for the distribution of harinama-sankirtana and hari-katha from village to village and town to town. He also revived many forgotten holy places.
The Dark Period
The period between Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Bhaktivinoda Thakura was an age of darkness for Gaudiya Vaishnavism. When the so-called “goswamis” were making a business out of bhakti while engaging in varieties of worldly enjoyment, when in the name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu so many kinds of bogus philosophies were prevalent, such as sakhi-beki, smarta-jati, sahajiya, etc. Living at that time were some real Vaishnavas who performed real bhajana, but mostly, just as we still see sometimes today, the so-called Vaishnavas only performed rituals for wages. When someone would die, people would call the Gaudiya Vaishnava babajis, who would come and chant some ceremonial kirtana and perform other rituals for wages. And there was so much misconduct in their behavior and daily life that the teachings of Mahaprabhu had completely vanished. If he had not appeared, then “shuddha-bhakti” or pure devotion of loving services to Lord would not have existed in the world today. At first there were thirteen known sahajiya cults, then Shrila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami, counted thirty-nine of them.
His Work
He composed hundreds of books in Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, English, Oriya and other languages. He wrote commentaries on ancient scriptures such as the Brahma-sutra, Bhagavad-gita, some of the Upanishads, Shrimad-Bhagavatam and Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita; and his own compositions such as Jaiva-dharma, Shri Chaitanya-Shikshamrita, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhur Shiksha, Datta-Kaustubha, Shri Krishna-Samhita, Tattva-Viveka, Shri Bhajana-Rahasya, Dasha-Mula-Shiksha, Sharanagati, Gitamala, Kalyana-Kalpataru, Harinama-Cintamani, Prema-Pradipa and Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – His Life and Precepts.
Shri Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the eternal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, reinitiated the current of pure devotion in this modern age, wherein almost everyone is addicted to material enjoyment steeped in the glitter of mundane knowledge. He has written a commentary on the verses of Shri Manah-shiksha that is rooted in deep philosophical conclusions and full of “rasa”, the fluid mellows of devotion. In the commentary he has very carefully analyzed every verse in relation to raganuga-bhakti or rupanuga-bhakti. Supported by quotations from Shri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Stava-mala, Stavavali and other Gosvami literature, he has indicated the essential method of bhajana for the benefit of raganuga-sadhakas. All raganuga-sadhakas will remain forever indebted to him for this extraordinary gift. For this reason learned persons have called him the “Seventh Gosvami” and the Bhagiratha who initiated the mighty flowing river of bhakti in the modern age.
He revealed the place of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance at the yoga-pitha in Shri Mayapura and also begot Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Today the outcome of this is directly visible everywhere. The sound vibration of congregational chanting of the holy names of Gaura and Krishna resounds in every corner of the world, and even in far off Western and Eastern countries enormous, opulent temples have been built.
In Svananda Sukhada Kunja
In the later part of his life, he renounced his wealth and family and took up permanent residence at Shri Svananda-sukhada-kunja, a garden in Shri Godruma that is situated on the banks of the divine Bhagirathi River within the boundary of Navadvipa. There he remained possession less and established the ideal of the system for practicing spontaneous devotional worship (raganuga-bhajana). If he had not appeared in this world, Mahaprabhu’s birthplace, the places where Mahaprabhu performed pastimes and Mahaprabhu’s instructions would still be concealed.
Leaving this world
He disappeared from this world on 23rd June, 1914 in the city of Calcutta.
Bhakti Vinod Thakur was as a prominent philosopher, guru and spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who affected its resurgence in India in late 19th and early 20th century and was hailed by contemporary scholars as the most influential Gaudiya Vaishnava leader of since 19th century. He is also credited, along with his son Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, with pioneering the propagation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the West and its eventual global spread.
Birth and Summary of his life
Bhakti Vinod Thakur was born on 2nd September, 1838, in an educated and cultured family in the village of Viranagara, which is near the place of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance, Mayapura in West Bengal. His childhood name was Sri Kedaranatha Datta. He was a scholarly and ingenious student. After a village schooling, he continued his education at Hindu College in Calcutta, where he acquainted himself with contemporary Western philosophy and theology. There he became a close associate of prominent literary and intellectual figures of the Bengal Renaissance, such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Sisir Kumar Ghosh. At 18, he started teaching in rural areas of Bengal and Orissa until he became an employee with the British Raj in the Judicial Service, from which he retired in 1894 as District Magistrate.
Bipin Bihari Goswami, part of the goswami community of Baghnapara who claim descent from Chaitanya’s associate, Vamsivadananda Thakur, was Bhaktivinoda’s diksha, or initiating, guru.
During that time he served the innermost desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by translating the Upanishads, the Brahma-sutra, Shrimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and the commentaries of the Gosvamis, by composing his own devotional books, and by publishing weekly and monthly spiritual journals. In addition, he established “Nama-Hatta” programs for the distribution of harinama-sankirtana and hari-katha from village to village and town to town. He also revived many forgotten holy places.
The Dark Period
The period between Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Bhaktivinoda Thakura was an age of darkness for Gaudiya Vaishnavism. When the so-called “goswamis” were making a business out of bhakti while engaging in varieties of worldly enjoyment, when in the name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu so many kinds of bogus philosophies were prevalent, such as sakhi-beki, smarta-jati, sahajiya, etc. Living at that time were some real Vaishnavas who performed real bhajana, but mostly, just as we still see sometimes today, the so-called Vaishnavas only performed rituals for wages. When someone would die, people would call the Gaudiya Vaishnava babajis, who would come and chant some ceremonial kirtana and perform other rituals for wages. And there was so much misconduct in their behavior and daily life that the teachings of Mahaprabhu had completely vanished. If he had not appeared, then “shuddha-bhakti” or pure devotion of loving services to Lord would not have existed in the world today. At first there were thirteen known sahajiya cults, then Shrila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami, counted thirty-nine of them.
His Work
He composed hundreds of books in Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, English, Oriya and other languages. He wrote commentaries on ancient scriptures such as the Brahma-sutra, Bhagavad-gita, some of the Upanishads, Shrimad-Bhagavatam and Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita; and his own compositions such as Jaiva-dharma, Shri Chaitanya-Shikshamrita, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhur Shiksha, Datta-Kaustubha, Shri Krishna-Samhita, Tattva-Viveka, Shri Bhajana-Rahasya, Dasha-Mula-Shiksha, Sharanagati, Gitamala, Kalyana-Kalpataru, Harinama-Cintamani, Prema-Pradipa and Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – His Life and Precepts.
Shri Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the eternal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, reinitiated the current of pure devotion in this modern age, wherein almost everyone is addicted to material enjoyment steeped in the glitter of mundane knowledge. He has written a commentary on the verses of Shri Manah-shiksha that is rooted in deep philosophical conclusions and full of “rasa”, the fluid mellows of devotion. In the commentary he has very carefully analyzed every verse in relation to raganuga-bhakti or rupanuga-bhakti. Supported by quotations from Shri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Stava-mala, Stavavali and other Gosvami literature, he has indicated the essential method of bhajana for the benefit of raganuga-sadhakas. All raganuga-sadhakas will remain forever indebted to him for this extraordinary gift. For this reason learned persons have called him the “Seventh Gosvami” and the Bhagiratha who initiated the mighty flowing river of bhakti in the modern age.
He revealed the place of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance at the yoga-pitha in Shri Mayapura and also begot Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Today the outcome of this is directly visible everywhere. The sound vibration of congregational chanting of the holy names of Gaura and Krishna resounds in every corner of the world, and even in far off Western and Eastern countries enormous, opulent temples have been built.
In Svananda Sukhada Kunja
In the later part of his life, he renounced his wealth and family and took up permanent residence at Shri Svananda-sukhada-kunja, a garden in Shri Godruma that is situated on the banks of the divine Bhagirathi River within the boundary of Navadvipa. There he remained possession less and established the ideal of the system for practicing spontaneous devotional worship (raganuga-bhajana). If he had not appeared in this world, Mahaprabhu’s birthplace, the places where Mahaprabhu performed pastimes and Mahaprabhu’s instructions would still be concealed.
Leaving this world
He disappeared from this world on 23rd June, 1914 in the city of Calcutta.
Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaj is a well-known Gaudiya Vaishnava and is regarded as ‘siddha baba’ by followers of his lineage. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada was his disciple and famous for his unorthodox avadhuta like behaviour as a sadhu.
We cannot understand Srila Gaura-Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja’s renounced high standard of bhajana, but we may be able follow a few key principles that he had established. After making sufficient spiritual progress, we may be able to understand the higher things.
Birth and Early Life
He was born on 17 November 1838 in a simple mercantile family in the village of Vagyana, near to Tepakhola in the district of Faridpur, East Bengal (now Bangladesh). When he was about 29 years old, his wife died. He accepted the life of a Babaji in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition from Bhagavat Dasa Babaji under the tutelage of Jagannatha Dasa Babaji. He became a mendicant, staying in the holy cities of Vrindavan and Navadwip, deeply absorbed in singing and chanting the sacred names of Hare Krishna.
Life in Vrindavan and Navadwip
Srila Gaura-Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja performed bhajana in Vrindavana at Surya-kunda, Radha-kunda, Nandagrama, Varshana and many other places. After sometime he went to Navadvipa. He was such a mahatma that he didn’t even construct himself a hut. In order to avoid having to come in contact with people, he lived in a toilet. He felt that if he lived in a temple, many people would come and disrupt his bhajana. People would come seeking his blessings for the purpose of attaining some material benefit, but he considered the stench of the toilet to be preferable to the stench of such people’s wishes. For ordinary person it is difficult to comprehend his line of thinking.
Babaji Maharaja vowed that he would never accept any disciples, however, he to break his vow and accepted Prabhupada as his disciple. In the early 20th century, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura received initiation from Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji and received the name ‘Varsabhanavi Devi Daitya Dasa’. Many of our previous acaryas lived in Navadvipa. As long as we have not attained the mercy of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Navadvipa-dhama, we will not be able to enter into Vraja.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s ashrama was situated on the banks of the Ganga. Babaji Maharaja used to come to the ashrama and listen to Shrimad-Bhagavatam and other krishna-katha from Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Babaji Maharaja didn’t associate with other babajis.
In 1915, Utthana Ekadashi, Srila Gaura-Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja left this world.
Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaj is a well-known Gaudiya Vaishnava and is regarded as ‘siddha baba’ by followers of his lineage. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada was his disciple and famous for his unorthodox avadhuta like behaviour as a sadhu.
We cannot understand Srila Gaura-Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja’s renounced high standard of bhajana, but we may be able follow a few key principles that he had established. After making sufficient spiritual progress, we may be able to understand the higher things.
Birth and Early Life
He was born on 17 November 1838 in a simple mercantile family in the village of Vagyana, near to Tepakhola in the district of Faridpur, East Bengal (now Bangladesh). When he was about 29 years old, his wife died. He accepted the life of a Babaji in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition from Bhagavat Dasa Babaji under the tutelage of Jagannatha Dasa Babaji. He became a mendicant, staying in the holy cities of Vrindavan and Navadwip, deeply absorbed in singing and chanting the sacred names of Hare Krishna.
Life in Vrindavan and Navadwip
Srila Gaura-Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja performed bhajana in Vrindavana at Surya-kunda, Radha-kunda, Nandagrama, Varshana and many other places. After sometime he went to Navadvipa. He was such a mahatma that he didn’t even construct himself a hut. In order to avoid having to come in contact with people, he lived in a toilet. He felt that if he lived in a temple, many people would come and disrupt his bhajana. People would come seeking his blessings for the purpose of attaining some material benefit, but he considered the stench of the toilet to be preferable to the stench of such people’s wishes. For ordinary person it is difficult to comprehend his line of thinking.
Babaji Maharaja vowed that he would never accept any disciples, however, he to break his vow and accepted Prabhupada as his disciple. In the early 20th century, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura received initiation from Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji and received the name ‘Varsabhanavi Devi Daitya Dasa’. Many of our previous acaryas lived in Navadvipa. As long as we have not attained the mercy of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Navadvipa-dhama, we will not be able to enter into Vraja.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s ashrama was situated on the banks of the Ganga. Babaji Maharaja used to come to the ashrama and listen to Shrimad-Bhagavatam and other krishna-katha from Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Babaji Maharaja didn’t associate with other babajis.
In 1915, Utthana Ekadashi, Srila Gaura-Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja left this world.
Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada was a Gaudīya Vaisnava Spiritual Master, Acharya, and founder of Chaitanya Math and Gaudiya Maths worldwide.
The mission initiated by Bhaktivinoda Thakur and developed by Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupāda emerged as “the most powerful reformist movement” of Vaishnavism in Bengal of the 19th and early 20th century. He preached convincingly against philosophical deviations from Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Srila Sarasvati Thakura excavated Lord Chaitanya’s appearance place at the Yogapitha in Sridhama Mayapur, despite heavy opposition from the money-hungry caste Goswamis of Navadwipa, he built a beautiful Gaudiya Math temple there.
Birth and Early Life
Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada appeared in Sri Ksetra Dhama (Jagannatha Puri) on 6 February 1874 on panchami as the seventh son of Sri Kedarnath Dutta, who was also known as Srila Sachidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his later part of life. His mother, Srimati Bhagavati Devi was very pious, disciplined and a great devotee. His parents kept his name Vimala Prasad Dutta. His father Sri Kedar Nath Dutta was posted as the Magistrate of Puri at that time.
Sri Kedarnath Dutta’s house was located near Sri Jagannath Temple besides the Grand Road in Puri. Every year during the Chariot Festival or Sri Rath Yatra, Sri Jagannath Ji’s Rath travels on this road. Once during the Chariot Festival, when Vimala Prasad was just 6 months old, and when the Rath was passing Sri Kedarnath Dutta’s house, it suddenly stopped Sri Vimala Prasad was on the lap of His mother. The Rath of Sri Jagannath Dev stopped and did not move at all even after a lot of effort was made to move it. The mother of Vimala Prasad took this opportunity and got up on the Rath for Darshan of the Deity with her son. The baby Vimala Prasad was then kept on the holy feet of Sri Jagannathji and the baby was blessed as a garland of flowers fell down on the baby from the Deity. After this incident the Rath began to move and everyone present there could understand that the child, Vimala Prasad was divine.
Inspired by his devotee father, Vimala Prasad lived a strict, pious and religious life. One of the incident in his early life can substantiate how strict he was in following principles he believed in. Srila Kedar Nath Dutta, as an ideal Grihastha, used to worship Sree Sree Radha Govinda Vigraha at his house. One day he purchased some mangoes for the deity. The child Vimala Prasad ate up the mangoes without the knowledge of His father before offering to their deities. At this Sri Kedarnath Dutta rebuked him and warned him not to repeat the mistake in future. The child Vimala Prasad took up this matter very seriously and never ever had mangoes in his lifetime.
In his childhood he quickly mastered the Vedas, memorized the Bhagavad-gita, and relished his father’s philosophical works. Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura is an eternal associate of both Shri Krishna and Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He would always keep Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu and Chaitanya-Charitamrita with him and explain them to his son.
When Srila Prabhupada was 7 to 8 years old, he began to worship a deity of Kurmadeva, and Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him Harinaam. At the age of 18, the scholars of Bengal gave him the title “Sarasvati”. Bhaktivinoda Thakura took him to Puri where he began studying at Satasana Äshrama, which is where Svarupa Damodara and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had lived. Vaishnavas used to regularly meet there. Prabhupada began giving discourse from Chaitanya-Charitamrita there. However, some Babajis became inimical to him when they heard Prabhupada’s explanations. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura took him away from there and had him begin teaching the son of the King of Tripura.
Srila Prabhupada started his formal education at an English school at Ranaghat. In 1881 he was transferred to the Oriental Seminary of Calcutta.
In 1904, he travelled to South India, where he explored various branches of Hinduism, in particularly the ancient and vibrant Shri Vaishnava and Madhava sampradayas, collecting materials for a new Vaishnava encyclopedia. He finally settled in Mayapur, 130 km north of Kolkata.
Founding Sri Chaitanya Math and Gaudiya Maths
Starting from 1905, Srila Prabhupāda began to deliver public discourses on the philosophy and practice of Chaitanya Vaishnavism, attracting educated young Bengalis, some of whom became his disciples. While assisting Thakur Bhaktivinoda in his developing project in Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada vowed to recite one billion names of Hare Krishna Mahamantra – which took nearly ten years to complete.
On 27 March 1918, Srila Prabhupada resolved to become the first Tridandi Sannyasi in Gaudiya Vaishnava society, post Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu period, starting a new Gaudiya Vaishnava monastic order. He established Gaudiya Maths in different parts of India and world.
After locating the birthplace of Mahaprabhu, he installed deities of Gaura-sundar, Vishnupriya and Lakshmipriya, as well as Radha-Krishna. Prabhupada started Navadwipa-dhama Parikrama as described by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur in his book. Srila Prabhupad relocated his Calcutta press to Mayapur and then to nearby Krishnanagar in the Nadia district. From there he continued publishing Bhaktivinoda’s Sajjana-Toshani, and completed the publication of Chaitanya Charitamrita. Srila Prabhupada published many magazines – daily, weekly, monthly – in the Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Oriya, English and Assamese languages, and very easily we have all inherited the fruit of his endeavor.
Within eleven years (1926–37), preaching activities spread far and wide. He established the Gaudiya line very strictly with great endeavor, and established at least 64 Maths and centers all over world.
On 1st January 1937, Srila Prabhupad disappeared from this material world.
Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada was a Gaudīya Vaisnava Spiritual Master, Acharya, and founder of Chaitanya Math and Gaudiya Maths worldwide.
The mission initiated by Bhaktivinoda Thakur and developed by Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupāda emerged as “the most powerful reformist movement” of Vaishnavism in Bengal of the 19th and early 20th century. He preached convincingly against philosophical deviations from Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Srila Sarasvati Thakura excavated Lord Chaitanya’s appearance place at the Yogapitha in Sridhama Mayapur, despite heavy opposition from the money-hungry caste Goswamis of Navadwipa, he built a beautiful Gaudiya Math temple there.
Birth and Early Life
Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada appeared in Sri Ksetra Dhama (Jagannatha Puri) on 6 February 1874 on panchami as the seventh son of Sri Kedarnath Dutta, who was also known as Srila Sachidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his later part of life. His mother, Srimati Bhagavati Devi was very pious, disciplined and a great devotee. His parents kept his name Vimala Prasad Dutta. His father Sri Kedar Nath Dutta was posted as the Magistrate of Puri at that time.
Sri Kedarnath Dutta’s house was located near Sri Jagannath Temple besides the Grand Road in Puri. Every year during the Chariot Festival or Sri Rath Yatra, Sri Jagannath Ji’s Rath travels on this road. Once during the Chariot Festival, when Vimala Prasad was just 6 months old, and when the Rath was passing Sri Kedarnath Dutta’s house, it suddenly stopped Sri Vimala Prasad was on the lap of His mother. The Rath of Sri Jagannath Dev stopped and did not move at all even after a lot of effort was made to move it. The mother of Vimala Prasad took this opportunity and got up on the Rath for Darshan of the Deity with her son. The baby Vimala Prasad was then kept on the holy feet of Sri Jagannathji and the baby was blessed as a garland of flowers fell down on the baby from the Deity. After this incident the Rath began to move and everyone present there could understand that the child, Vimala Prasad was divine.
Inspired by his devotee father, Vimala Prasad lived a strict, pious and religious life. One of the incident in his early life can substantiate how strict he was in following principles he believed in. Srila Kedar Nath Dutta, as an ideal Grihastha, used to worship Sree Sree Radha Govinda Vigraha at his house. One day he purchased some mangoes for the deity. The child Vimala Prasad ate up the mangoes without the knowledge of His father before offering to their deities. At this Sri Kedarnath Dutta rebuked him and warned him not to repeat the mistake in future. The child Vimala Prasad took up this matter very seriously and never ever had mangoes in his lifetime.
In his childhood he quickly mastered the Vedas, memorized the Bhagavad-gita, and relished his father’s philosophical works. Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura is an eternal associate of both Shri Krishna and Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He would always keep Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu and Chaitanya-Charitamrita with him and explain them to his son.
When Srila Prabhupada was 7 to 8 years old, he began to worship a deity of Kurmadeva, and Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him Harinaam. At the age of 18, the scholars of Bengal gave him the title “Sarasvati”. Bhaktivinoda Thakura took him to Puri where he began studying at Satasana Äshrama, which is where Svarupa Damodara and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had lived. Vaishnavas used to regularly meet there. Prabhupada began giving discourse from Chaitanya-Charitamrita there. However, some Babajis became inimical to him when they heard Prabhupada’s explanations. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura took him away from there and had him begin teaching the son of the King of Tripura.
Srila Prabhupada started his formal education at an English school at Ranaghat. In 1881 he was transferred to the Oriental Seminary of Calcutta.
In 1904, he travelled to South India, where he explored various branches of Hinduism, in particularly the ancient and vibrant Shri Vaishnava and Madhava sampradayas, collecting materials for a new Vaishnava encyclopedia. He finally settled in Mayapur, 130 km north of Kolkata.
Founding Sri Chaitanya Math and Gaudiya Maths
Starting from 1905, Srila Prabhupāda began to deliver public discourses on the philosophy and practice of Chaitanya Vaishnavism, attracting educated young Bengalis, some of whom became his disciples. While assisting Thakur Bhaktivinoda in his developing project in Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada vowed to recite one billion names of Hare Krishna Mahamantra – which took nearly ten years to complete.
On 27 March 1918, Srila Prabhupada resolved to become the first Tridandi Sannyasi in Gaudiya Vaishnava society, post Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu period, starting a new Gaudiya Vaishnava monastic order. He established Gaudiya Maths in different parts of India and world.
After locating the birthplace of Mahaprabhu, he installed deities of Gaura-sundar, Vishnupriya and Lakshmipriya, as well as Radha-Krishna. Prabhupada started Navadwipa-dhama Parikrama as described by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur in his book. Srila Prabhupad relocated his Calcutta press to Mayapur and then to nearby Krishnanagar in the Nadia district. From there he continued publishing Bhaktivinoda’s Sajjana-Toshani, and completed the publication of Chaitanya Charitamrita. Srila Prabhupada published many magazines – daily, weekly, monthly – in the Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Oriya, English and Assamese languages, and very easily we have all inherited the fruit of his endeavor.
Within eleven years (1926–37), preaching activities spread far and wide. He established the Gaudiya line very strictly with great endeavor, and established at least 64 Maths and centers all over world.
On 1st January 1937, Srila Prabhupad disappeared from this material world.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad 108 shri Shrimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaj was a scholar, a philosopher, a prolific author, a spiritual teacher, and a prominent Gaudiya Vaishnav saint in 20th Century. He is the Founder-President-Acharya of “Shri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti” and its preaching
centers all over India. His philosophy is based on the theistic Vedanta as the sole medium of reaching the eternal destination and not Shri Shankara’s targeted salvation-Nirvan. He describes the Brahma-sutras as Bhakti-sutras. He is complete follower of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s close associates Sri Svarupa Damodar, Sri Rupa Goswami and Sri Raghunath Das Goswami and is best amongst the 10th generation of descendants in the Bhagavata-parampara from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Birth and Early Life
He was born on Monday, 24th January 1898 (12 Magh 1304, Krishna Tritiya) in Banaripara of Barisal district of undivided Bengal (now Bangladesh). His parents, Srimati Bhuvanmohini Devi and Sri Sharat Chandra Guhathakurta were respected and wealthy Vaishnava devotees. His father was disciple of well-known saint, Sri Vijay Krishna Goswami. His mother belonged to a family of landlords and she was much respected as being very learned, thoughtful and with high moral values. His parents kept his name Jyotsna or Jona or Janardan and Vinoda-bihārī. The boy, Vinoda-bihārī had effulgent eyes, a beautiful physique endowed with all auspicious signs.
His father left this world after they had moved to the district of Noyākhali, while his father was employed in the Court of Lakṣmīpura. Vinoda-bihārī was just 8 years old. Bhuvanamohini-devī had to face the entire responsibility of the children’s upbringing and education. Vinoda-bihārī had studied at the National School in Noyākhalī, which offered both academic education and vocational training. In addition to his textbook studies, Vinoda-bihārī took a great interest in craftsmanship. At that time the community had no organization to help the poor and sick. Together with many enthusiastic youths, Vinoda-bihārī established a society which cared for the poor and the sick free of charge, even those with contagious diseases. Vinoda-bihārī, who was still in high school, joined Mahātmā Gāndhi’s non-violent civil disobedience movement and became a revolutionary leader. He took part in preparing a revolt against the British rule, but as he was hiding in the jungles, the police were unable to apprehend him. Even while this was going on, Vinoda-bihārī still passed the entrance examinations for Uttarapāḍā College near Kolkata. After studying there for one year, he shifted to Daulatapura College. There, he astonished the principal and professors with his explanations of the difficult and complicated philosophical verses of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Although Śrī Vinoda-bihārī was just a student, he understood the profound and complicated philosophical ideas and high devotional sentiments of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and readily explained them so that others could also understand. His erudition fascinated the other students as well as his teacher.
Meeting with Srila Saraswati Prabhupāda in Chaitanya Math
In 1915, Vinoda-bihārī went with his two paternal aunts for darśana of Srila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Prabhupāda in Chaitanya Math, Mayapur at the time of Sri Gaura-pūrṇimā. Two paternal aunts, Śrīyutā Sarojavāsinī and Priyatamā-devī, later became disciples of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. Both women were well-versed in bhakti-śāstra and were accomplished poets and authors. Their instructions on bhakti and their devotional lives had a great influence on their nephew.
After taking part in the nine-day Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā and after hearing hari-kathā, he offered himself completely at the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda on the day of Śrī Gaura-pūrṇimā. Understanding him to be worthy, Prabhupāda accepted him as his dear disciple and gave him Harināma. Now the life of Vinoda-bihārī became exclusively dedicated to Prabhupāda and his teachings. Prabhupāda expressed his wish to establish maṭhs on each of the nine islands of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, to establish other Gauḍīya Maṭhas and centres for preaching śuddha-bhakti in the prominent cities of Bengal and throughout India, and to establish a printing press for the printing and distribution of transcendental periodicals, which would propagate the philosophical conclusions of pure devotion everywhere, in all the languages of India. Hearing this, Śrīyutā Sarojavāsinī-devī asked, how will so many maṭhas be taken care of? At that time the youth Vinoda-bihārī was sitting nearby, listening with rapt attention to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s hari-kathā. Śrīla Prabhupāda pointed to him and said, “Vinoda-bihārī will manage all the maṭhas and preaching centres”. This prediction later came true. By the blessings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Vinoda-bihārī did become the Superintendent of the main Śrī Chaitanya Math and managed them all with great expertise. Furthermore, after Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance from this world, Vinoda-bihārī established the Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti with Gauḍīya Maṭhas and preaching centres throughout India and around the world and thus preached śuddha-bhakti everywhere. After Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī received harināma initiation from Śrīla Prabhupāda, he returned home and began regular studies at Daulatpura College. From time to time, however, he went to Śrī Dhāma Māyāpura to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lotus feet, where he listened to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s powerful hari-kathā with faith and full concentration.
Blessings of Gaur Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj
On Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions, Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī along with his paternal aunts and Śrī Gaura-govinda Vidyābhūṣaṇa went to have the darśana of Śrīla Gaur Kishore Das Bābājī Mahārāja, in 1915. However, despite their repeated requests, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja would not open the door. Śrī Gaura-govinda Prabhu then said in a very humble voice that they were Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’ disciples and came here on his instruction. Then he quickly opened the door. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja observed Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī’s effulgent form, his sincere desire to serve Navadwip Dham, and above all his firm faith in his spiritual master (guru-niṣṭhā). Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja blessed him, saying, “I have taken away all hindrances and obstacles from your life. You will become a distinguished sanyasi and fearlessly spread the words of Śrīman Mahāprabhu all over the world.” Hearing this blessing, Śrī Vinodabihāri’s eyes overflowed with tears. Falling at Bābājī Mahārāja’s lotus feet, he took his foot-dust on his head.
Joining Chaitanya Math
In 1919, Sri Vinod-bihārī left everything and joined Srila Prabhupāda’s mission wholeheartedly. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave him Dīkṣā initiation on the roof of the kitchen at Yogapīṭha on Śrī Gaura-pūrṇimā evening. After the Dīkṣā ceremony was over, Vinoda-bihārī went to his guru, and at his lotus feet, humbly requested the guru-mantra. Until then Śrīla Prabhupāda had not given the guru-mantra to anyone. Śrīla Prabhupāda was silent on that request. Seeing him silent, Vinoda-bihārī asked whether a disciple should approach some other guru to receive the guru-mantra. Śrīla Prabhupāda then smiled and with great affection gave Vinoda-bihārī the guru-mantra. Then on, Śrīla Prabhupāda started giving guru-mantra to others as well.
A lesson of fearless devotion
In 4th March 1925, on the occasion of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā an outrageous assault on Śrīla Prabhupāda and his saṅkīrtana party caused pandemonium which was published in Ananda Bazar Patrika. As usual, Śrīla Prabhupāda and thousands of devoted pilgrims were walking together in an enormous saṅkīrtana party. The deities of Śrī Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅga and Gāndharvikā-Giridhārī were carried on the back of an elephant. The parikramā party gathered in front of the temple of Prauḍāmāyā in Kuliyā (Koladvīpa) or current Navadwip municipality town. Suddenly, gang of atheists and notorious anti-Vaishnavs of Navadwip attacked them with bricks, stones and cow dungs. The pilgrims started running to protect their lives, and no one cared for anyone else. Śrī Vinoda-bihārī risked his own life and quickly exchanged Śrīla Prabhupāda’s sannyāsa saffron attire with his own ordinary white clothes. Thus, Śrīla Prabhupāda reached Śrī Māyāpura in the ordinary white dress undetected. All the Vaiṣṇavas were amazed at Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī’s remarkable guru-niṣṭhā (steadfast faith and devotion to the spiritual master), remarkable presence of mind, courage about which was discussed everywhere. This incident reminded everyone of how Kuresh has served his Gurudeva, Sri Ramanujachrya.
Being member of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda Institute
In April 1931, Śrīla Prabhupāda established the Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda Institute in Māyāpura for education in transcendental subject matters. Śrīla Prabhupāda was the chairman of the managing committee of the school, Śrīmad Bhakti Pradīpa Tīrtha Mahārāja was the headmaster, and among the other members of the committee, Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī was one of the members of managing committee. Śrī Vinoda-bihārī changed the standards that were established by the Englishmen. He announced that the school would have off days on Pancamī and Ekādaśī instead of Sundays, and a half-day vacation on Caturthī and Daśamī instead of Saturday. Ekādaśī was chosen because it is the day of Mādhava (mādhava-tithi ) the mother of pure devotion. Pancamī-tithi is the appearance day (tithi ) of Śuddhā-sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and also of Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhupāda. This change brought in by Śrī Vinoda-bihārī was met with lot of resistance from the authorities; however, Śrī Vinoda-bihārī overcame all obstacles by the blessings of his Gurudeva.
Some major events and responsibilities
- In 19 August 1922, he was appointed as publisher of the ‘Gauḍīya’, the monthly magazine and mouthpiece of Sri Chaitanya math.
- He was member of Nadia District Board for 11 years, member of Education and Finance Sub-Committee for 10 years; he was member of Krishnanagar Local Board, member of Union Board and Bench Court. He used oversee local schools and hospital. He was chairman of Sanitary Health Board. He was also became chairman of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda Institute.
- In 1932, at the 38th annual session of the Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Pracāriṇī Sabhā, the chairman, Śrīla Prabhupāda, bestowed the title ‘Kṛtiratna’ (meaning, ‘whose every act and accomplishment is a jewel’) on Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī.
- The Samadhi temple of Sri Gaur Kishore Das Babaji maharaj was going beneath river Ganga. In 21 August 1932, on the instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Sri Vinod-bihārī with the help Sri Narahari Sevavigraha and others dug up and carefully brought the samadhi to Chaitanya Math, Mayapur. The samadhi was extracted so carefully that it was intact.
- 18 March 1934, Srila Saraswati Prabhupāda laid the foundation of Yogapith temple and the responsibility of construction of the temple and Natya-mandir was on Vinod-Bihārī.
- In April 1935, he went for preaching with Srila Prabhupāda to Gaya and many other places.
- 22 April 1935, he was appointed Math-in-charge of Gaudiya Math in Baleshwar, Orissa.
Just after Srila Prabhupāda left this word, the next or 43rd Annual General meeting of Sri Navadwip Dham Pracharini Sabha was held on In 26 March 1937. In this meeting, the successor of Srila Prabhupāda was selected and appointed. On this occasion, senior disciple of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and first sansyasi of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Srila Bhakti Pradeep Tirtha Maharaj on behalf of Sri Navadwip Dham Pracharini Sabha, said,
“The great soul, who wholeheartedly and tirelessly worked to take care of the devotees coming for Navadwip Dham parikrama, who on the third-day of Parikrama overpowered enemies who tried to stop Sankirtan party in Godrum dwip and with the blessing of Srila Gurudeva overcame every obstacles and declared the victory of Sri Gaur Vinod Vani Sankirtan, such a great soul Sripad Vinoda-Bihārī Kriratna be victorious.”
In 3rd June 1937, the Governing body of Gaudiya Math & Mission appointed him General Superintendent. His responsibility was to manage all the Maths from Kolkata. Hence he moved to Gaudiya Math in Baghbazar, Kolkata from Chaitainya Math, Mayapur on 9th July 1937. Although very busy with management responsibilities, he continued his preaching activities giving lectures and discourse on different occasions in different occasions and places. Some of major lectures are on Julayatra in Kolkata, Srila Prabhupāda’s Virah Utsav in Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Nrisingha-Jayanti in Alalnath, Ramnavami in Chapahati, Sri Bhaktivinod’s centenary celebration in Sri Chaitanya Math, Srila Prabhupāda’s 2nd Anniversary and many others are admired and attracted people from various quarters.
In 1939, Srila Vinod-Bihārī gave Dīkṣā mantra to Santosh, his first and only disciple while being in Sri Chaitanya Math, Mayapur. Santosh was renamed to Sri Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari after Dīkṣā, who later on became renowned as Srila Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj.
Founding Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In 1940, Sri Vinod Bihārī Brahmachari left Sri Chaitanya Math along with few associates of Srila Sarswati Prabhupāda, namely Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj, Narahari Sevavigraha, Mahananda Brahmachari, Virchandra Brahmachari, Narottam Brahmachari and Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari. They had taken a house in rent in Tegharipara, Nabadwip town and founded Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math. They started preaching the tenets of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and teachings of Srila Saraswati Prabhupāda. In April 1940 (Akshay Tritiya), Sri Vinod Bihārī Brahmachari founded Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in a rented house in 32/2 Bosepara Lane, Kolkata with help of the associates of Srila Sarswati Prabhupāda who left Sri Chaitanya Math along with him.
Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was founded to nurture transcendental life it is absolutely necessary to adopt the pure teachings of the mahājanas. These pure teachings were presented by Śrī Vedavyāsajī, who compiled Vedānta-sūtra for the ultimate welfare of the jīvas.
Sanyas, Preaching and establishing Maths
In 1941, Sri Vinod Bihārī Brahmachari recieved sanyas (Renounced Order) from Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj. His name has been changed to Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj. After the establishment of Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, the scholar in Vedānta, mahopadeśaka Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj started to travel throughout Bengal and prominent cities of India to preach śuddha-bhakti and Harinam.
In 1942, he started the weeklong Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā and festival to commemorate the appearance of Śrī Gaurasundara from his newly established Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math in Navadwip town. The enthusiasm of the members of the Samiti was amplified by the participation of many pious people, brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs and gṛhastha Vaiṣṇavas.
In April 1943, he established Śrī Uddhāraṇa Gauḍīya Maṭha. The ancient deities of that temple had once been worshipped by Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, an associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He went on establishing Maths and preaching centers like Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math in Mathura, Pichalda Gaudiya Math in Pichalda, Medinipur, Golokaganj Gaudiya, and so on. About 19 centers he established including Sri Trigunatit Samadhi ashram and Sri Gaudiya Datavya Chikitsalaya in Nabadwip.
He also nurtured and mentored disciples who would be able to take his mission further. The prominent personalities he has given Sanyas are Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj, Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Maharaj, Bhakti Vedanta Trikram Maharaj, Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaj (ISKCON founder), , Bhakti Vedanta Harijan Maharaj, etc. He also gave Babaji discipline to 9 of his disciples.
He published many books and literature, primarily in bengali and a few in hindi and english as well. He also started monthly magazine in bengali and hindi – Sri Gaudiya Patrika and Sri Bhagavat Patrika, respectively.
He left this material world on 6th October 1968, Sunday, during lunar eclipse when everyone was chanting Harinam at Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math, Navadwip. The wealth he given to this world will remain extraordinary for centuries to come.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad 108 shri Shrimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaj was a scholar, a philosopher, a prolific author, a spiritual teacher, and a prominent Gaudiya Vaishnav saint in 20th Century. He is the Founder-President-Acharya of “Shri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti” and its preaching
centers all over India. His philosophy is based on the theistic Vedanta as the sole medium of reaching the eternal destination and not Shri Shankara’s targeted salvation-Nirvan. He describes the Brahma-sutras as Bhakti-sutras. He is complete follower of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s close associates Sri Svarupa Damodar, Sri Rupa Goswami and Sri Raghunath Das Goswami and is best amongst the 10th generation of descendants in the Bhagavata-parampara from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Birth and Early Life
He was born on Monday, 24th January 1898 (12 Magh 1304, Krishna Tritiya) in Banaripara of Barisal district of undivided Bengal (now Bangladesh). His parents, Srimati Bhuvanmohini Devi and Sri Sharat Chandra Guhathakurta were respected and wealthy Vaishnava devotees. His father was disciple of well-known saint, Sri Vijay Krishna Goswami. His mother belonged to a family of landlords and she was much respected as being very learned, thoughtful and with high moral values. His parents kept his name Jyotsna or Jona or Janardan and Vinoda-bihārī. The boy, Vinoda-bihārī had effulgent eyes, a beautiful physique endowed with all auspicious signs.
His father left this world after they had moved to the district of Noyākhali, while his father was employed in the Court of Lakṣmīpura. Vinoda-bihārī was just 8 years old. Bhuvanamohini-devī had to face the entire responsibility of the children’s upbringing and education. Vinoda-bihārī had studied at the National School in Noyākhalī, which offered both academic education and vocational training. In addition to his textbook studies, Vinoda-bihārī took a great interest in craftsmanship. At that time the community had no organization to help the poor and sick. Together with many enthusiastic youths, Vinoda-bihārī established a society which cared for the poor and the sick free of charge, even those with contagious diseases. Vinoda-bihārī, who was still in high school, joined Mahātmā Gāndhi’s non-violent civil disobedience movement and became a revolutionary leader. He took part in preparing a revolt against the British rule, but as he was hiding in the jungles, the police were unable to apprehend him. Even while this was going on, Vinoda-bihārī still passed the entrance examinations for Uttarapāḍā College near Kolkata. After studying there for one year, he shifted to Daulatapura College. There, he astonished the principal and professors with his explanations of the difficult and complicated philosophical verses of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Although Śrī Vinoda-bihārī was just a student, he understood the profound and complicated philosophical ideas and high devotional sentiments of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and readily explained them so that others could also understand. His erudition fascinated the other students as well as his teacher.
Meeting with Srila Saraswati Prabhupāda in Chaitanya Math
In 1915, Vinoda-bihārī went with his two paternal aunts for darśana of Srila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Prabhupāda in Chaitanya Math, Mayapur at the time of Sri Gaura-pūrṇimā. Two paternal aunts, Śrīyutā Sarojavāsinī and Priyatamā-devī, later became disciples of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. Both women were well-versed in bhakti-śāstra and were accomplished poets and authors. Their instructions on bhakti and their devotional lives had a great influence on their nephew.
After taking part in the nine-day Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā and after hearing hari-kathā, he offered himself completely at the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda on the day of Śrī Gaura-pūrṇimā. Understanding him to be worthy, Prabhupāda accepted him as his dear disciple and gave him Harināma. Now the life of Vinoda-bihārī became exclusively dedicated to Prabhupāda and his teachings. Prabhupāda expressed his wish to establish maṭhs on each of the nine islands of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, to establish other Gauḍīya Maṭhas and centres for preaching śuddha-bhakti in the prominent cities of Bengal and throughout India, and to establish a printing press for the printing and distribution of transcendental periodicals, which would propagate the philosophical conclusions of pure devotion everywhere, in all the languages of India. Hearing this, Śrīyutā Sarojavāsinī-devī asked, how will so many maṭhas be taken care of? At that time the youth Vinoda-bihārī was sitting nearby, listening with rapt attention to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s hari-kathā. Śrīla Prabhupāda pointed to him and said, “Vinoda-bihārī will manage all the maṭhas and preaching centres”. This prediction later came true. By the blessings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Vinoda-bihārī did become the Superintendent of the main Śrī Chaitanya Math and managed them all with great expertise. Furthermore, after Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance from this world, Vinoda-bihārī established the Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti with Gauḍīya Maṭhas and preaching centres throughout India and around the world and thus preached śuddha-bhakti everywhere. After Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī received harināma initiation from Śrīla Prabhupāda, he returned home and began regular studies at Daulatpura College. From time to time, however, he went to Śrī Dhāma Māyāpura to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lotus feet, where he listened to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s powerful hari-kathā with faith and full concentration.
Blessings of Gaur Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj
On Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions, Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī along with his paternal aunts and Śrī Gaura-govinda Vidyābhūṣaṇa went to have the darśana of Śrīla Gaur Kishore Das Bābājī Mahārāja, in 1915. However, despite their repeated requests, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja would not open the door. Śrī Gaura-govinda Prabhu then said in a very humble voice that they were Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’ disciples and came here on his instruction. Then he quickly opened the door. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja observed Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī’s effulgent form, his sincere desire to serve Navadwip Dham, and above all his firm faith in his spiritual master (guru-niṣṭhā). Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja blessed him, saying, “I have taken away all hindrances and obstacles from your life. You will become a distinguished sanyasi and fearlessly spread the words of Śrīman Mahāprabhu all over the world.” Hearing this blessing, Śrī Vinodabihāri’s eyes overflowed with tears. Falling at Bābājī Mahārāja’s lotus feet, he took his foot-dust on his head.
Joining Chaitanya Math
In 1919, Sri Vinod-bihārī left everything and joined Srila Prabhupāda’s mission wholeheartedly. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave him Dīkṣā initiation on the roof of the kitchen at Yogapīṭha on Śrī Gaura-pūrṇimā evening. After the Dīkṣā ceremony was over, Vinoda-bihārī went to his guru, and at his lotus feet, humbly requested the guru-mantra. Until then Śrīla Prabhupāda had not given the guru-mantra to anyone. Śrīla Prabhupāda was silent on that request. Seeing him silent, Vinoda-bihārī asked whether a disciple should approach some other guru to receive the guru-mantra. Śrīla Prabhupāda then smiled and with great affection gave Vinoda-bihārī the guru-mantra. Then on, Śrīla Prabhupāda started giving guru-mantra to others as well.
A lesson of fearless devotion
In 4th March 1925, on the occasion of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā an outrageous assault on Śrīla Prabhupāda and his saṅkīrtana party caused pandemonium which was published in Ananda Bazar Patrika. As usual, Śrīla Prabhupāda and thousands of devoted pilgrims were walking together in an enormous saṅkīrtana party. The deities of Śrī Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅga and Gāndharvikā-Giridhārī were carried on the back of an elephant. The parikramā party gathered in front of the temple of Prauḍāmāyā in Kuliyā (Koladvīpa) or current Navadwip municipality town. Suddenly, gang of atheists and notorious anti-Vaishnavs of Navadwip attacked them with bricks, stones and cow dungs. The pilgrims started running to protect their lives, and no one cared for anyone else. Śrī Vinoda-bihārī risked his own life and quickly exchanged Śrīla Prabhupāda’s sannyāsa saffron attire with his own ordinary white clothes. Thus, Śrīla Prabhupāda reached Śrī Māyāpura in the ordinary white dress undetected. All the Vaiṣṇavas were amazed at Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī’s remarkable guru-niṣṭhā (steadfast faith and devotion to the spiritual master), remarkable presence of mind, courage about which was discussed everywhere. This incident reminded everyone of how Kuresh has served his Gurudeva, Sri Ramanujachrya.
Being member of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda Institute
In April 1931, Śrīla Prabhupāda established the Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda Institute in Māyāpura for education in transcendental subject matters. Śrīla Prabhupāda was the chairman of the managing committee of the school, Śrīmad Bhakti Pradīpa Tīrtha Mahārāja was the headmaster, and among the other members of the committee, Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī was one of the members of managing committee. Śrī Vinoda-bihārī changed the standards that were established by the Englishmen. He announced that the school would have off days on Pancamī and Ekādaśī instead of Sundays, and a half-day vacation on Caturthī and Daśamī instead of Saturday. Ekādaśī was chosen because it is the day of Mādhava (mādhava-tithi ) the mother of pure devotion. Pancamī-tithi is the appearance day (tithi ) of Śuddhā-sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and also of Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhupāda. This change brought in by Śrī Vinoda-bihārī was met with lot of resistance from the authorities; however, Śrī Vinoda-bihārī overcame all obstacles by the blessings of his Gurudeva.
Some major events and responsibilities
- In 19 August 1922, he was appointed as publisher of the ‘Gauḍīya’, the monthly magazine and mouthpiece of Sri Chaitanya math.
- He was member of Nadia District Board for 11 years, member of Education and Finance Sub-Committee for 10 years; he was member of Krishnanagar Local Board, member of Union Board and Bench Court. He used oversee local schools and hospital. He was chairman of Sanitary Health Board. He was also became chairman of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda Institute.
- In 1932, at the 38th annual session of the Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Pracāriṇī Sabhā, the chairman, Śrīla Prabhupāda, bestowed the title ‘Kṛtiratna’ (meaning, ‘whose every act and accomplishment is a jewel’) on Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī.
- The Samadhi temple of Sri Gaur Kishore Das Babaji maharaj was going beneath river Ganga. In 21 August 1932, on the instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Sri Vinod-bihārī with the help Sri Narahari Sevavigraha and others dug up and carefully brought the samadhi to Chaitanya Math, Mayapur. The samadhi was extracted so carefully that it was intact.
- 18 March 1934, Srila Saraswati Prabhupāda laid the foundation of Yogapith temple and the responsibility of construction of the temple and Natya-mandir was on Vinod-Bihārī.
- In April 1935, he went for preaching with Srila Prabhupāda to Gaya and many other places.
- 22 April 1935, he was appointed Math-in-charge of Gaudiya Math in Baleshwar, Orissa.
Just after Srila Prabhupāda left this word, the next or 43rd Annual General meeting of Sri Navadwip Dham Pracharini Sabha was held on In 26 March 1937. In this meeting, the successor of Srila Prabhupāda was selected and appointed. On this occasion, senior disciple of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and first sansyasi of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Srila Bhakti Pradeep Tirtha Maharaj on behalf of Sri Navadwip Dham Pracharini Sabha, said,
“The great soul, who wholeheartedly and tirelessly worked to take care of the devotees coming for Navadwip Dham parikrama, who on the third-day of Parikrama overpowered enemies who tried to stop Sankirtan party in Godrum dwip and with the blessing of Srila Gurudeva overcame every obstacles and declared the victory of Sri Gaur Vinod Vani Sankirtan, such a great soul Sripad Vinoda-Bihārī Kriratna be victorious.”
In 3rd June 1937, the Governing body of Gaudiya Math & Mission appointed him General Superintendent. His responsibility was to manage all the Maths from Kolkata. Hence he moved to Gaudiya Math in Baghbazar, Kolkata from Chaitainya Math, Mayapur on 9th July 1937. Although very busy with management responsibilities, he continued his preaching activities giving lectures and discourse on different occasions in different occasions and places. Some of major lectures are on Julayatra in Kolkata, Srila Prabhupāda’s Virah Utsav in Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Nrisingha-Jayanti in Alalnath, Ramnavami in Chapahati, Sri Bhaktivinod’s centenary celebration in Sri Chaitanya Math, Srila Prabhupāda’s 2nd Anniversary and many others are admired and attracted people from various quarters.
In 1939, Srila Vinod-Bihārī gave Dīkṣā mantra to Santosh, his first and only disciple while being in Sri Chaitanya Math, Mayapur. Santosh was renamed to Sri Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari after Dīkṣā, who later on became renowned as Srila Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj.
Founding Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In 1940, Sri Vinod Bihārī Brahmachari left Sri Chaitanya Math along with few associates of Srila Sarswati Prabhupāda, namely Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj, Narahari Sevavigraha, Mahananda Brahmachari, Virchandra Brahmachari, Narottam Brahmachari and Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari. They had taken a house in rent in Tegharipara, Nabadwip town and founded Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math. They started preaching the tenets of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and teachings of Srila Saraswati Prabhupāda. In April 1940 (Akshay Tritiya), Sri Vinod Bihārī Brahmachari founded Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in a rented house in 32/2 Bosepara Lane, Kolkata with help of the associates of Srila Sarswati Prabhupāda who left Sri Chaitanya Math along with him.
Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was founded to nurture transcendental life it is absolutely necessary to adopt the pure teachings of the mahājanas. These pure teachings were presented by Śrī Vedavyāsajī, who compiled Vedānta-sūtra for the ultimate welfare of the jīvas.
Sanyas, Preaching and establishing Maths
In 1941, Sri Vinod Bihārī Brahmachari recieved sanyas (Renounced Order) from Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj. His name has been changed to Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj. After the establishment of Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, the scholar in Vedānta, mahopadeśaka Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj started to travel throughout Bengal and prominent cities of India to preach śuddha-bhakti and Harinam.
In 1942, he started the weeklong Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā and festival to commemorate the appearance of Śrī Gaurasundara from his newly established Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math in Navadwip town. The enthusiasm of the members of the Samiti was amplified by the participation of many pious people, brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs and gṛhastha Vaiṣṇavas.
In April 1943, he established Śrī Uddhāraṇa Gauḍīya Maṭha. The ancient deities of that temple had once been worshipped by Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, an associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He went on establishing Maths and preaching centers like Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math in Mathura, Pichalda Gaudiya Math in Pichalda, Medinipur, Golokaganj Gaudiya, and so on. About 19 centers he established including Sri Trigunatit Samadhi ashram and Sri Gaudiya Datavya Chikitsalaya in Nabadwip.
He also nurtured and mentored disciples who would be able to take his mission further. The prominent personalities he has given Sanyas are Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj, Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Maharaj, Bhakti Vedanta Trikram Maharaj, Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaj (ISKCON founder), , Bhakti Vedanta Harijan Maharaj, etc. He also gave Babaji discipline to 9 of his disciples.
He published many books and literature, primarily in bengali and a few in hindi and english as well. He also started monthly magazine in bengali and hindi – Sri Gaudiya Patrika and Sri Bhagavat Patrika, respectively.
He left this material world on 6th October 1968, Sunday, during lunar eclipse when everyone was chanting Harinam at Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math, Navadwip. The wealth he given to this world will remain extraordinary for centuries to come.
Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana (Baman in bengali) Goswami Maharaj was former President-Acharya of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, a prolific author and an ardent speaker of Gaudiya Vedanta philosophy. He travelled across India and established many temples and centers in multiple states for the propagation of Gaudiya Vedanta philosophy. Before he became the President, he was the General Secretary of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. He came in association of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj in Sri Chaitanya Math, Mayapur as young boy of age 9. He was among a few associates of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, who were with Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj when Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was founded in 1940.
Click here complete Life History and Precepts
Birth and Early Life
He was born on 23rd December, 1921 in Piljang village, Khulna district of undivided Bengal (now Bagerhat district of Bangaladesh) in a family of ardent Gaudiya Vaishnavas. His paternal uncle, Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaja was among early disciples of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada. His mother, Srimati Bhagavatibala Devi, was also a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. She was very strict, disciplined and devoted to Gaudiya philosophy. She disciplined her children in the same manner. His parents gave the name ‘Santosh’ which means ‘Satisfaction’. Indeed, his personality was such that everyone would feel the sense of satisfaction by just being around him. His father Sri Satish Chandra Ghosh became disciple of Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaja and was known as Sri Sarveshwar Dasadhikari.
Young boy Santosh was admitted to Town Nowarapara English High School. He was very polite, obedient, punctual and brilliant student. He was so adorable and radiant, he was automatically everyone’s center of attraction. When he was on 5th class, his paternal aunt was ready to attend Gaur Purnima festival like every year. He was adamant in going with her to attend Gaur Purnima festival in Mayapura. His mother, Srimati Bhagavatibala Devi, could not refuse.
Life in Sri Chaitanya Math
During Gaur Jayanti, March 1931, 9 years old boy Santosh came to Sri Chaitanya Math along with his paternal aunt. Once the festival was over, he was adamant in staying back in Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada’s Chaitanya Math. Even after lot of persuasion, he didn’t return back home. While in Chaitanya Math, Santosh was under the guidance of Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari (then Estate Manager), Srila Narahari Sevavigraha (Chaitanya Math’s in-charge), and his paternal uncle Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaja. Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari admitted Santosh in Sri Bhaktivinod Institute, Mayapur. He was so brilliant that he never had to revisit or review anything he reads once. He memorized entire Bhagvad Gita, and many shlokas from Srimad Bhagvatam, Upanishads and other scriptures. After study hours, he used to pick flowers, cut fruits & vegetables, fold clothes of devotees after they are washed and dried, fetch drinking water, clean ‘Achaman-patra’ of devotees. He used to wash Srila Saraswati Prabhupada’s feet, massage his body, pick green peas from garden and serve Sril Saraswati Prabhupad. He used to get up before ‘Brahma-Muhurta’ and before anyone gets up, he would clean toilets daily along with Srila Narahari Sevavigraha. At that time, there wasn’t a single resident of Sri Chaitanya Math whom he did not serve personally. He was so skillful and energetic that his work looked effortless. Everyone was amused and kept wondering when and how he acquired these skills in such a young age. There is something ‘Divine’ in him and started considering him a close associate of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad. Thus, he grew up serving Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada and his close associates, studying Gaudiya philosophy under the guidance of exalted devotees and nurtured by Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari and Srila Narahari Sevavigraha in Sri Chaitanya Math. Pleased with his service and knowledge of Gaudiya philosophy at such an early age, Srila Saraswati Prabhupad gave him Harinam in 1936.
In 1st January 1937, the founder of Sri Chaitanya Math and worldwide Gaudiya Maths, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada left this material world to his eternal Abode. In the same year, Santosh passed matriculation with first division. He did not want to accumulate degrees anymore rather he decided to gain spiritual knowledge concentrating on Srimad Bhagvatam, Vedanta Sutras, analyzing different schools of thought worldwide, understanding deeper meaning of Sastras and setting the next stage of his life in this world. He discussed his interest with his sole guardian, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari. Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari not only agreed with him but was very satisfied with his line of thinking. There were many young boys like him staying in Sri Chaitanya Math, however, after sometime he was the only one left behind.
Sri Chaitanya Math had a comprehensive library of books. Acclaimed associates of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad helped him understand the realms of Srimad Bhagvatam, Vedanta Sutras, teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates and other Vaishnava literature. He searched further for authentic books in different libraries, went through contemporary Indian literature, studied western philosophy and writings by Kant, Hegel, Socrates, Huxley, Plato, etc. He also studied scientific works in the likes of Darwin’s theory of evolution, Dalton’s atomic molecular theory and many others. He also collected Bible, Quran and other religious texts. He researched on Indian history from Indian as well as western philosopher’s perspective. The result and its effect of such comparative and analytical studies are evidenced in his speeches, discourses, lectures and writings. It is not easy to understand the biography of persons who are God-sent; the personality who is going to lead the materialist world from the clutches of atheism to Sri Krishna consciousness will not be ordinary one. The choices he made in his life are exquisite; endeavors at every junctures with the kind of electrifying energy are nothing but divine; and a lesson to be taken to history for everyone in the years to come.
On 1939, he received Diskha from Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari and he was renamed as “Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari”. Although there were many senior sanyasi and associates of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad including disciples of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in Sri Chaitanya Math available at that time, however, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari was destined to be Santosh’s Diksha guru since transcendental relationships are not made based on mere turn of events.
Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In 1940, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari along with few associates of Srila Sarswati Prabhupad left Sri Chaitanya Math. They had taken a house in rent in Tegharipara, Nabadwip town and founded Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math. They started preaching the tenets of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and teachings of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad. Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was along with them travelling, preaching, collecting donations, cooking, cleaning, etc. He was always on his toes serving and helping Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari in various ways in his every accomplishment. In April 1940 (Akshay Tritiya), Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari founded Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in a rented house in 32/2 Bosepara Lane, Kolkata. As usual, Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was with him as a capable assistant or co-founder. In 1941, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari recieved sanyas (Renounced Order) from Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj. His name has been changed to Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj.
Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj started Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti without a penny. However, he had some brilliant associates of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad with him including Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari, who was his only disciple at that time. Together they formed the organization, working very hard day and night. When Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj bought “Gauranga Printing Works”, Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was the right person to start publishing Sri Bhaktivinod Thakur’s books. He immediately learned the entire publishing processes. In 1943, he moved the printing press to Sri Uddharan Gaudiya Math, Chinsura, Hooghly and the move saved a lot of expenses. In 1949, Samiti’s monthly magazine and mouthpiece, “Gaudiya Patrika” was started and Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was its Publisher.
Received Sanyas, travelling and preaching
In 1952, Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari received sanyas (Renounced Order) from Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj along with two of his god brothers. His name has been changed to Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj. His two god-brothers are Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Maharaj and Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Trivikram Maharaj. Although Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj was very busy with organization development and publishing works, he started travelling and preaching activities. In 1966, he was appointed General Secretary of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and he started full-fledged preaching to different places of India. He started with Jharkhand, Assam and then Bengal, Orissa, UP, etc.
In 1968, Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj left this material world and Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj became the President-Acharya of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti as per Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj’s wish and decision. The decision was natural and evident.
By Sri Krishna’s divine wish and energy, the great-soul who arrived at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupad in Sri Chaitanya Math; who was personally nurtured by Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj; the personality who has a tall, beautiful and lustrous physique, is cynosure of all eyes in any assemblies of Sanyasis and devotees; whose strength is on unadulterated faith in his Gurudev and based on the depth of knowledge; who can quote scriptures in verbatim anytime, and an epitome of renunciation seen in his life and character; such a personality can take Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti to its next stage.
President-Acharya of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
As President-Acharya, he started increasing the foot-print of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. Under his leadership, about 30 Maths and preaching centers were established in different towns and cities in India. Gaudiya Patrika’s subscriber’s base increased leaps and bounds. Under his guidance Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti published and re-printed many ancient literatures. Participants in Sri Navadwip Parikram, the annual event of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, increased exponentially because of preaching and campaigning. And hence the infrastructure to accommodate such a huge influx of devotees also had been increased. Pilgrimage travels for devotees to different parts of India like Skhetra Mandal Parikrama, Gaur-Mandal Parikrama, Vraja Mandal Parikrama, Dwaraka Parikrama, travels to pilgrimage places in south India and north India increased many folds. As there were increase in numbers in every section of the Samiti, Srila Vamana Maharaj’s concentration on the quality or individual development on Bhajan-Sadhan remained constant.
As an Acharya, he was very merciful to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion and nationality. His disciples were from every walks of life including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Adivashis and tribal from remote areas, rich, educated from metro-cities to poorest of poor and illiterates. He was multi-lingual and could speak Bengali, Hindi and English fluently. He went door-to-door, village to village, concentrating on elevation of everyone on individual basis. His sharp memory will not forget anyone he met only once even after several years.
He published many poems, articles and given lectures on current issues well as discourses on Srimad Bagavatam and Sri Chaitanya Charitamritam. His personal letters written to his associates have become now “nectar-of-knowledge”, published as “Patramritam” for practical spiritual guidance. His knowledge in Gaudiya literature was well known in the Gaudiya Vaishnav society. In case of any confusion or conflicts in understanding any scripts, he was the ‘go-to’ person. He would resolve and reconcile such issues immediately. His humility, calm and composed nature, assertive in action and Guru-nistha was unique and a lesson for everyone.
Last some years of his history in this world would be very difficult to comprehend for any ordinary person. He reserved and disengaged himself from this world, stopping talking and even refused to recognize devotees came for his darshan. His engagements became very personal and may respond to queries which he thought important. He used remain awake at night at times. He did reply to few queries once in a while, saying how he can sleep when so many tasks to be done for Srimati Radharani. Sometimes, he replied, his Gurudev has asked him to do something. Sometimes he says, his Gurudev is performing some activities and he is assisting him. At times, he tried to control his answers as if he is divulging too much. Even his close sevaks were unable to explain his mood and condition. It seems he reserved himself for something transcendental.
Once Srila Bhakti Vedanta Paryatak Maharaja paid a visit. Srila Paryatak Maharaji asked whether he was able to remember him. Then Srila Vamana Maharaja replied, “You are Krishnadas”. On that Srila Maharaj asked, “If I am Krishnadas then who you are?” “Gurudas”, was the prompt reply. The reply talks a lot about his personality and character that he will always been known for.
In 8th January 2002, he indicated his disappearance date in Sri Keshav Goswami Gaudiya Math, Shaktigarh, Siliguri. Many of His disciples were in his Bhajan Kutir on the occasion of Vyas Puja (the previous day) when he told that he is going leave this world within two years and will not be available for 84th Vyas Puja. He once said, “I will leave this world on the bank of Ganga in the midst of Sankirtan”.
In 24th October 2004, Ekadash day, he came to Navadwip Dham from Seoraphuli. Within few days, Srila Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Maharaja paid a visit. Srila Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaja recognized him. Srila Puri Maharaj started reciting a shloka from Srimad Bhagvatam, “kvaham daridrah papiyan”. Srila Vamana Maharaj completed it saying “kva krsnah sri-niketanah”. Then Srila Vamana Maharaj went on saying the yuga of his Gurudev has long gone and now our yuga or period is gone as well. If he (Srila Puri Maharaj) would have come later, would not have found him.
In 14th November 2004 (month of Kartik), Sunday, he left this material word, leaving behind a wealth of his nectar of instructions and guidance to his devotees, the principles he followed, his way of performing certain devotional services and way of chanting Harinam. Certainly, a yuga or period has gone with him. A period of spontaneous devotional service and a period of preaching the efficacy and supremacy of the Divine Names, by setting an example in His own Divine career.
As spoken by Sripad Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Maharaja
“After Prabhupada departed from this world, and then Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja established the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in 1940. Vamana Maharaja was doing everything; writing letters, managing the temple, cooking, and travelling for preaching. Vamana Maharaja is a great scholar just as his gurudeva was. It has been said that he is like a dictionary of slokas because he knows so many verses from the scriptures. When while lecturing Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja would sometimes forget a sloka, Vamana Maharaha would always supply it from memory. Once, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja went to Assam for preaching. One of the sects there, were virtually prepared to stone us, challenged us by saying, “You say that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Bhagavan Himself, but what evidence is there of this?” Guru Maharaja turned to Vamana Maharaja and said, “Speak.” Then Vamana Maharaja recited fifty shlokas one after the other from different scriptures as evidence, and those people were silenced.
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja left the entire responsibility of editing and publishing our Bengali magazine exclusively on Vamana Maharaja. From his boyhood Vamana Maharaja studied Bhagavatam verses and their commentaries, and as a result he can speak on Vaisnava philosophy for hours without stopping. He was such great scholar, and he is a very sweet persons as well. With children he is very affectionate, and he speaks with them concerning things like ghosts which they enjoy hearing about. He attracts everyone to spiritual life, and evening an assembly of scholars, he is always the greatest scholar. He refutes others’ misconceptions, but he does it in such a way that their feelings are not hurt, as if carefully performing a surgical operation.
Vamana Maharaja is very grave and quiet, and there is another special quality which he possesses: I have seen many people, myself included, who give explanations from the scriptures and enjoy taking praise from others for it. But having known Vamana Maharaja for almost fifty years, I have never seen him do this, note even by accident. He is also very tolerant. As if taking poison and digesting it, he may see the faults in others, but he never speaks about them. He has so much eagerness to preach the instructions of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he has preached in all the villages of West Bengal and Assam. Bhagavan has especially empowered this great personality with many transcendental qualities. Today I pray to Srila Vamana Maharaja that he will mercifully allow me to always remain as his shadow, thereby enabling me to always follow him. I consider him to be my siksa-guru, because since the day I joined the mission he has given me whatever I required with great affection.”
Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana (Baman in bengali) Goswami Maharaj was former President-Acharya of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, a prolific author and an ardent speaker of Gaudiya Vedanta philosophy. He travelled across India and established many temples and centers in multiple states for the propagation of Gaudiya Vedanta philosophy. Before he became the President, he was the General Secretary of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. He came in association of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj in Sri Chaitanya Math, Mayapur as young boy of age 9. He was among a few associates of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, who were with Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj when Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was founded in 1940.
Click here complete Life History and Precepts
Birth and Early Life
He was born on 23rd December, 1921 in Piljang village, Khulna district of undivided Bengal (now Bagerhat district of Bangaladesh) in a family of ardent Gaudiya Vaishnavas. His paternal uncle, Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaja was among early disciples of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada. His mother, Srimati Bhagavatibala Devi, was also a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. She was very strict, disciplined and devoted to Gaudiya philosophy. She disciplined her children in the same manner. His parents gave the name ‘Santosh’ which means ‘Satisfaction’. Indeed, his personality was such that everyone would feel the sense of satisfaction by just being around him. His father Sri Satish Chandra Ghosh became disciple of Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaja and was known as Sri Sarveshwar Dasadhikari.
Young boy Santosh was admitted to Town Nowarapara English High School. He was very polite, obedient, punctual and brilliant student. He was so adorable and radiant, he was automatically everyone’s center of attraction. When he was on 5th class, his paternal aunt was ready to attend Gaur Purnima festival like every year. He was adamant in going with her to attend Gaur Purnima festival in Mayapura. His mother, Srimati Bhagavatibala Devi, could not refuse.
Life in Sri Chaitanya Math
During Gaur Jayanti, March 1931, 9 years old boy Santosh came to Sri Chaitanya Math along with his paternal aunt. Once the festival was over, he was adamant in staying back in Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada’s Chaitanya Math. Even after lot of persuasion, he didn’t return back home. While in Chaitanya Math, Santosh was under the guidance of Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari (then Estate Manager), Srila Narahari Sevavigraha (Chaitanya Math’s in-charge), and his paternal uncle Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaja. Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari admitted Santosh in Sri Bhaktivinod Institute, Mayapur. He was so brilliant that he never had to revisit or review anything he reads once. He memorized entire Bhagvad Gita, and many shlokas from Srimad Bhagvatam, Upanishads and other scriptures. After study hours, he used to pick flowers, cut fruits & vegetables, fold clothes of devotees after they are washed and dried, fetch drinking water, clean ‘Achaman-patra’ of devotees. He used to wash Srila Saraswati Prabhupada’s feet, massage his body, pick green peas from garden and serve Sril Saraswati Prabhupad. He used to get up before ‘Brahma-Muhurta’ and before anyone gets up, he would clean toilets daily along with Srila Narahari Sevavigraha. At that time, there wasn’t a single resident of Sri Chaitanya Math whom he did not serve personally. He was so skillful and energetic that his work looked effortless. Everyone was amused and kept wondering when and how he acquired these skills in such a young age. There is something ‘Divine’ in him and started considering him a close associate of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad. Thus, he grew up serving Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada and his close associates, studying Gaudiya philosophy under the guidance of exalted devotees and nurtured by Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari and Srila Narahari Sevavigraha in Sri Chaitanya Math. Pleased with his service and knowledge of Gaudiya philosophy at such an early age, Srila Saraswati Prabhupad gave him Harinam in 1936.
In 1st January 1937, the founder of Sri Chaitanya Math and worldwide Gaudiya Maths, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada left this material world to his eternal Abode. In the same year, Santosh passed matriculation with first division. He did not want to accumulate degrees anymore rather he decided to gain spiritual knowledge concentrating on Srimad Bhagvatam, Vedanta Sutras, analyzing different schools of thought worldwide, understanding deeper meaning of Sastras and setting the next stage of his life in this world. He discussed his interest with his sole guardian, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari. Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari not only agreed with him but was very satisfied with his line of thinking. There were many young boys like him staying in Sri Chaitanya Math, however, after sometime he was the only one left behind.
Sri Chaitanya Math had a comprehensive library of books. Acclaimed associates of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad helped him understand the realms of Srimad Bhagvatam, Vedanta Sutras, teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates and other Vaishnava literature. He searched further for authentic books in different libraries, went through contemporary Indian literature, studied western philosophy and writings by Kant, Hegel, Socrates, Huxley, Plato, etc. He also studied scientific works in the likes of Darwin’s theory of evolution, Dalton’s atomic molecular theory and many others. He also collected Bible, Quran and other religious texts. He researched on Indian history from Indian as well as western philosopher’s perspective. The result and its effect of such comparative and analytical studies are evidenced in his speeches, discourses, lectures and writings. It is not easy to understand the biography of persons who are God-sent; the personality who is going to lead the materialist world from the clutches of atheism to Sri Krishna consciousness will not be ordinary one. The choices he made in his life are exquisite; endeavors at every junctures with the kind of electrifying energy are nothing but divine; and a lesson to be taken to history for everyone in the years to come.
On 1939, he received Diskha from Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari and he was renamed as “Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari”. Although there were many senior sanyasi and associates of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad including disciples of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in Sri Chaitanya Math available at that time, however, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari was destined to be Santosh’s Diksha guru since transcendental relationships are not made based on mere turn of events.
Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In 1940, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari along with few associates of Srila Sarswati Prabhupad left Sri Chaitanya Math. They had taken a house in rent in Tegharipara, Nabadwip town and founded Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math. They started preaching the tenets of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and teachings of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad. Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was along with them travelling, preaching, collecting donations, cooking, cleaning, etc. He was always on his toes serving and helping Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari in various ways in his every accomplishment. In April 1940 (Akshay Tritiya), Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari founded Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in a rented house in 32/2 Bosepara Lane, Kolkata. As usual, Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was with him as a capable assistant or co-founder. In 1941, Sri Vinod Bihari Brahmachari recieved sanyas (Renounced Order) from Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj. His name has been changed to Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj.
Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj started Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti without a penny. However, he had some brilliant associates of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad with him including Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari, who was his only disciple at that time. Together they formed the organization, working very hard day and night. When Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj bought “Gauranga Printing Works”, Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was the right person to start publishing Sri Bhaktivinod Thakur’s books. He immediately learned the entire publishing processes. In 1943, he moved the printing press to Sri Uddharan Gaudiya Math, Chinsura, Hooghly and the move saved a lot of expenses. In 1949, Samiti’s monthly magazine and mouthpiece, “Gaudiya Patrika” was started and Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari was its Publisher.
Received Sanyas, travelling and preaching
In 1952, Sajjan Sevak Brahmachari received sanyas (Renounced Order) from Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj along with two of his god brothers. His name has been changed to Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj. His two god-brothers are Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Maharaj and Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Trivikram Maharaj. Although Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj was very busy with organization development and publishing works, he started travelling and preaching activities. In 1966, he was appointed General Secretary of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and he started full-fledged preaching to different places of India. He started with Jharkhand, Assam and then Bengal, Orissa, UP, etc.
In 1968, Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj left this material world and Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaj became the President-Acharya of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti as per Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj’s wish and decision. The decision was natural and evident.
By Sri Krishna’s divine wish and energy, the great-soul who arrived at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupad in Sri Chaitanya Math; who was personally nurtured by Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Maharaj; the personality who has a tall, beautiful and lustrous physique, is cynosure of all eyes in any assemblies of Sanyasis and devotees; whose strength is on unadulterated faith in his Gurudev and based on the depth of knowledge; who can quote scriptures in verbatim anytime, and an epitome of renunciation seen in his life and character; such a personality can take Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti to its next stage.
President-Acharya of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
As President-Acharya, he started increasing the foot-print of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. Under his leadership, about 30 Maths and preaching centers were established in different towns and cities in India. Gaudiya Patrika’s subscriber’s base increased leaps and bounds. Under his guidance Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti published and re-printed many ancient literatures. Participants in Sri Navadwip Parikram, the annual event of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, increased exponentially because of preaching and campaigning. And hence the infrastructure to accommodate such a huge influx of devotees also had been increased. Pilgrimage travels for devotees to different parts of India like Skhetra Mandal Parikrama, Gaur-Mandal Parikrama, Vraja Mandal Parikrama, Dwaraka Parikrama, travels to pilgrimage places in south India and north India increased many folds. As there were increase in numbers in every section of the Samiti, Srila Vamana Maharaj’s concentration on the quality or individual development on Bhajan-Sadhan remained constant.
As an Acharya, he was very merciful to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion and nationality. His disciples were from every walks of life including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Adivashis and tribal from remote areas, rich, educated from metro-cities to poorest of poor and illiterates. He was multi-lingual and could speak Bengali, Hindi and English fluently. He went door-to-door, village to village, concentrating on elevation of everyone on individual basis. His sharp memory will not forget anyone he met only once even after several years.
He published many poems, articles and given lectures on current issues well as discourses on Srimad Bagavatam and Sri Chaitanya Charitamritam. His personal letters written to his associates have become now “nectar-of-knowledge”, published as “Patramritam” for practical spiritual guidance. His knowledge in Gaudiya literature was well known in the Gaudiya Vaishnav society. In case of any confusion or conflicts in understanding any scripts, he was the ‘go-to’ person. He would resolve and reconcile such issues immediately. His humility, calm and composed nature, assertive in action and Guru-nistha was unique and a lesson for everyone.
Last some years of his history in this world would be very difficult to comprehend for any ordinary person. He reserved and disengaged himself from this world, stopping talking and even refused to recognize devotees came for his darshan. His engagements became very personal and may respond to queries which he thought important. He used remain awake at night at times. He did reply to few queries once in a while, saying how he can sleep when so many tasks to be done for Srimati Radharani. Sometimes, he replied, his Gurudev has asked him to do something. Sometimes he says, his Gurudev is performing some activities and he is assisting him. At times, he tried to control his answers as if he is divulging too much. Even his close sevaks were unable to explain his mood and condition. It seems he reserved himself for something transcendental.
Once Srila Bhakti Vedanta Paryatak Maharaja paid a visit. Srila Paryatak Maharaji asked whether he was able to remember him. Then Srila Vamana Maharaja replied, “You are Krishnadas”. On that Srila Maharaj asked, “If I am Krishnadas then who you are?” “Gurudas”, was the prompt reply. The reply talks a lot about his personality and character that he will always been known for.
In 8th January 2002, he indicated his disappearance date in Sri Keshav Goswami Gaudiya Math, Shaktigarh, Siliguri. Many of His disciples were in his Bhajan Kutir on the occasion of Vyas Puja (the previous day) when he told that he is going leave this world within two years and will not be available for 84th Vyas Puja. He once said, “I will leave this world on the bank of Ganga in the midst of Sankirtan”.
In 24th October 2004, Ekadash day, he came to Navadwip Dham from Seoraphuli. Within few days, Srila Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Maharaja paid a visit. Srila Bhakti Vedanta Vamana Maharaja recognized him. Srila Puri Maharaj started reciting a shloka from Srimad Bhagvatam, “kvaham daridrah papiyan”. Srila Vamana Maharaj completed it saying “kva krsnah sri-niketanah”. Then Srila Vamana Maharaj went on saying the yuga of his Gurudev has long gone and now our yuga or period is gone as well. If he (Srila Puri Maharaj) would have come later, would not have found him.
In 14th November 2004 (month of Kartik), Sunday, he left this material word, leaving behind a wealth of his nectar of instructions and guidance to his devotees, the principles he followed, his way of performing certain devotional services and way of chanting Harinam. Certainly, a yuga or period has gone with him. A period of spontaneous devotional service and a period of preaching the efficacy and supremacy of the Divine Names, by setting an example in His own Divine career.
As spoken by Sripad Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Maharaja
“After Prabhupada departed from this world, and then Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja established the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in 1940. Vamana Maharaja was doing everything; writing letters, managing the temple, cooking, and travelling for preaching. Vamana Maharaja is a great scholar just as his gurudeva was. It has been said that he is like a dictionary of slokas because he knows so many verses from the scriptures. When while lecturing Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja would sometimes forget a sloka, Vamana Maharaha would always supply it from memory. Once, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja went to Assam for preaching. One of the sects there, were virtually prepared to stone us, challenged us by saying, “You say that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Bhagavan Himself, but what evidence is there of this?” Guru Maharaja turned to Vamana Maharaja and said, “Speak.” Then Vamana Maharaja recited fifty shlokas one after the other from different scriptures as evidence, and those people were silenced.
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja left the entire responsibility of editing and publishing our Bengali magazine exclusively on Vamana Maharaja. From his boyhood Vamana Maharaja studied Bhagavatam verses and their commentaries, and as a result he can speak on Vaisnava philosophy for hours without stopping. He was such great scholar, and he is a very sweet persons as well. With children he is very affectionate, and he speaks with them concerning things like ghosts which they enjoy hearing about. He attracts everyone to spiritual life, and evening an assembly of scholars, he is always the greatest scholar. He refutes others’ misconceptions, but he does it in such a way that their feelings are not hurt, as if carefully performing a surgical operation.
Vamana Maharaja is very grave and quiet, and there is another special quality which he possesses: I have seen many people, myself included, who give explanations from the scriptures and enjoy taking praise from others for it. But having known Vamana Maharaja for almost fifty years, I have never seen him do this, note even by accident. He is also very tolerant. As if taking poison and digesting it, he may see the faults in others, but he never speaks about them. He has so much eagerness to preach the instructions of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he has preached in all the villages of West Bengal and Assam. Bhagavan has especially empowered this great personality with many transcendental qualities. Today I pray to Srila Vamana Maharaja that he will mercifully allow me to always remain as his shadow, thereby enabling me to always follow him. I consider him to be my siksa-guru, because since the day I joined the mission he has given me whatever I required with great affection.”
Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Paryatak Goswami Maharaja was appointed the President-Acarya of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti after Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vaman Goswami Maharaja left this material world. Before he became the President, he was one of the Preaching Editor of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti.
Birth, Early Life and Education
He was born on 24th October 1938 in Brajarajpur village, Bankura, West Bengal in the abode of his maternal uncle under cosmic period of Vishakha Nakshatra and Dwitiya Tithi. His mother Srimati Nanibala Devi and father Sri Gadadhar Goswami were worshipers of Sri Radha Madanmohan Jiu, worshipped by their ancestors. His father named him as Chittaranjan Goswami and everyone used to call him “Chitta” in short. From his childhood he was peace loving, simple, generous, and intelligent with extraordinary merit and followed Vaishnav Tenets. He would visit temples, participate in Aarati, Kirtans and take part in Nagar Sankirtans.
He completed his primary schooling from Brajarajpur and Gopalpur primary schools and completed high school from Vidyasagar Vidyapith High School. He received Bachelors of Arts from Midnapore College under Vidyasagar University.
Early association of Gaudiya Vaishnav
During his school days in Midnapore, he used to go take bath in a pond. A vaishnav from nearby Gaudiya Math also used to take bath in the same pond. The Gaudiya vaishnav advised him to read Bhagavad Gita daily, offer Tulasi leaves and observe Ekadasi Vrata. Thus he had Gaudiya Vaishnav association during his childhood itself.
Joining Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In Mach 1958, he decided to go to Vrindavan. With only 2 rupees in hand, wearing a half pant & half shirt and a copy of Bhagavad Gita in hand, reached Mathura station after 3 days of journey. Looking for a place to stay, he found Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math in Mathura which is a branch Math of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. At that time, Srimad Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaj was the Math-in-Charge. Maharajji asked for 6 Ana for one night stay in the Math. However, he had nothing to offer since all his money was used up in the travel. Maharajji allowed him to stay for free as many days he wants, if he does devotional service in the Math. He accepted that with open heart and for 1.5 years he did many wonderful devotional services under the guidance of Srimad Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaj, his first Shikhsa Guru.
Life in Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In 1958, he had Harinaam and Diksha from Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaj and he received his new name as Chidghanananda Brahmachari. In 1960, he was sent to Sri Uddharan Gaudiya Math, Chinsura, Hooghly, West Bengal and appointed as the Math-in-Charge. He managed and maintained the Math very nicely.
In 1965, on the auspicious occasion of Gaur Jayanti, he has been given the Renunciation Order or Sannyas by Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaj and his name changed to Tridandiswami Bhakti Vedanta Paryatak Maharaj.
Travelling – Pilgrimage & Preaching
In December 1964, he accompanied honorable Sri Sri Gobinda Babaji Maharaj and few Bramhacharies for preaching in Bardhaman District of West Bengal starting from Goara, Barbaharkuli, Sodepara, Chetua, Bainchi Gram, Jamgram, Pandua, Ahmodpur, Sushinara and other places of Bardhaman District.
In 1965, after receiving Sannyas, he started preaching in Assam. He went to Dhubri, Bilaspur, Bangaigaon, Guwahati, Lamding and thereafter reached in Silchar. He continued to preaching profusely from Silchar to Karimganj, Dharamnagar, and reached Agartala, the capital of Tripura. From there he had returned to Guwahati and thereafter he stopped in Darjeeling. He went from Siliguri Town to Jalpaiguri and then to Raigunj Town. While travelling and preaching, he had attracted many people and made them devotees to serve the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
In 1968, he went for pilgrimage to different holy places of South India with some Sannyasis, Brahmacharis and other devotees. He started his pilgrimage from Puri Dham. After having darshan of Sri Sri Jagannathdev, he went to Simhachalam in Vishakhapatnam, and then to Tirupati. From Tirupati he went to Minakshi Devi temple in Madurai, and then to Kumbhakonam, Pakshitirtha and then reached Rameswaram. From there he went to Kerala. He had darshan of Lord Padmanavaswamy in Thiruananthapuram. He also went to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Agra in Uttar Pradesh and visited Madanmohan Jiu Temple in Jaipur.
President – Acharya of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
After Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vaman Goswami Maharaja left this material world in 2004, he became the President-Acarya of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti as per the will of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaja. He maintained and managed Samiti’s temples and preaching centers with his management acumen and preached the love, amity and religious tenets of Sri Sri Mahaprabhu Chaitanya and delivered message of Sri Rup-Raghunath. Furthermore, he had also preached the message of Sri Sri Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad and Srila Keshav Goswami Maharaj. In 29th September, 2020, he left this world and his followers plunged into deep sorrow. During span of long 62 years of his life, despite various hindrances, he had preached love for Krishna door to door which is impeccable. Relentless preaching, observation of Vaishnava rituals and his conduct would keep shining in the history of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti like a full moon.
Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Paryatak Goswami Maharaja was appointed the President-Acarya of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti after Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vaman Goswami Maharaja left this material world. Before he became the President, he was one of the Preaching Editor of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti.
Birth, Early Life and Education
He was born on 24th October 1938 in Brajarajpur village, Bankura, West Bengal in the abode of his maternal uncle under cosmic period of Vishakha Nakshatra and Dwitiya Tithi. His mother Srimati Nanibala Devi and father Sri Gadadhar Goswami were worshipers of Sri Radha Madanmohan Jiu, worshipped by their ancestors. His father named him as Chittaranjan Goswami and everyone used to call him “Chitta” in short. From his childhood he was peace loving, simple, generous, and intelligent with extraordinary merit and followed Vaishnav Tenets. He would visit temples, participate in Aarati, Kirtans and take part in Nagar Sankirtans.
He completed his primary schooling from Brajarajpur and Gopalpur primary schools and completed high school from Vidyasagar Vidyapith High School. He received Bachelors of Arts from Midnapore College under Vidyasagar University.
Early association of Gaudiya Vaishnav
During his school days in Midnapore, he used to go take bath in a pond. A vaishnav from nearby Gaudiya Math also used to take bath in the same pond. The Gaudiya vaishnav advised him to read Bhagavad Gita daily, offer Tulasi leaves and observe Ekadasi Vrata. Thus he had Gaudiya Vaishnav association during his childhood itself.
Joining Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In Mach 1958, he decided to go to Vrindavan. With only 2 rupees in hand, wearing a half pant & half shirt and a copy of Bhagavad Gita in hand, reached Mathura station after 3 days of journey. Looking for a place to stay, he found Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math in Mathura which is a branch Math of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. At that time, Srimad Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaj was the Math-in-Charge. Maharajji asked for 6 Ana for one night stay in the Math. However, he had nothing to offer since all his money was used up in the travel. Maharajji allowed him to stay for free as many days he wants, if he does devotional service in the Math. He accepted that with open heart and for 1.5 years he did many wonderful devotional services under the guidance of Srimad Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaj, his first Shikhsa Guru.
Life in Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
In 1958, he had Harinaam and Diksha from Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaj and he received his new name as Chidghanananda Brahmachari. In 1960, he was sent to Sri Uddharan Gaudiya Math, Chinsura, Hooghly, West Bengal and appointed as the Math-in-Charge. He managed and maintained the Math very nicely.
In 1965, on the auspicious occasion of Gaur Jayanti, he has been given the Renunciation Order or Sannyas by Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaj and his name changed to Tridandiswami Bhakti Vedanta Paryatak Maharaj.
Travelling – Pilgrimage & Preaching
In December 1964, he accompanied honorable Sri Sri Gobinda Babaji Maharaj and few Bramhacharies for preaching in Bardhaman District of West Bengal starting from Goara, Barbaharkuli, Sodepara, Chetua, Bainchi Gram, Jamgram, Pandua, Ahmodpur, Sushinara and other places of Bardhaman District.
In 1965, after receiving Sannyas, he started preaching in Assam. He went to Dhubri, Bilaspur, Bangaigaon, Guwahati, Lamding and thereafter reached in Silchar. He continued to preaching profusely from Silchar to Karimganj, Dharamnagar, and reached Agartala, the capital of Tripura. From there he had returned to Guwahati and thereafter he stopped in Darjeeling. He went from Siliguri Town to Jalpaiguri and then to Raigunj Town. While travelling and preaching, he had attracted many people and made them devotees to serve the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
In 1968, he went for pilgrimage to different holy places of South India with some Sannyasis, Brahmacharis and other devotees. He started his pilgrimage from Puri Dham. After having darshan of Sri Sri Jagannathdev, he went to Simhachalam in Vishakhapatnam, and then to Tirupati. From Tirupati he went to Minakshi Devi temple in Madurai, and then to Kumbhakonam, Pakshitirtha and then reached Rameswaram. From there he went to Kerala. He had darshan of Lord Padmanavaswamy in Thiruananthapuram. He also went to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Agra in Uttar Pradesh and visited Madanmohan Jiu Temple in Jaipur.
President – Acharya of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
After Sri Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Vaman Goswami Maharaja left this material world in 2004, he became the President-Acarya of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti as per the will of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaja. He maintained and managed Samiti’s temples and preaching centers with his management acumen and preached the love, amity and religious tenets of Sri Sri Mahaprabhu Chaitanya and delivered message of Sri Rup-Raghunath. Furthermore, he had also preached the message of Sri Sri Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad and Srila Keshav Goswami Maharaj. In 29th September, 2020, he left this world and his followers plunged into deep sorrow. During span of long 62 years of his life, despite various hindrances, he had preached love for Krishna door to door which is impeccable. Relentless preaching, observation of Vaishnava rituals and his conduct would keep shining in the history of Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti like a full moon.
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